Bowling Green women come from behind to defeat UMass

12/19/2012

AMHERST, Mass. — Alexis Rogers made four free throws in the final 30 seconds of the Bowling Green State University women’s basketball team’s 64-61 come-from-behind victory Wednesday night over Massachusetts.

Rogers and Chrissy Steffen each finished with 18 points to lead the Falcons (8-3) to their fifth consecutive victory.

Rogers also had 12 rebounds to finish with her first double-double this season and 11th in her career.

Jasmine Watson scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Minutewomen, who fell to 2-9. Nola Henry scored eight points and added 11 assists.

The close contest featured nine ties and seven lead changes, and in the first half neither team led by more than three until the final four minutes of the period. With 3:43 left in the half, Bowling Green went on an 8-0 run, with UMass getting baskets by Watson and Emily Mital in the final minute to cut the Falcons’ halftime lead to 27-23.

A 10-3 spurt by BG gave the Falcons a 39-30 advantage with 14:25 left in the second half, but UMass scored the next 11 points to lead 41-39 in less than three minutes.

The Minutewomen put together another seven-point run to take a 54-48 lead with 7:15 on the clock before Danielle Havel capped a 9-3 BG run with a free throw that tied the game at 57-57 with 2:57 to play.

Millie Niggeling made a 3-pointer to give UMass the lead, but Rogers countered with a layup with a little more than two minutes left. Watson split a pair of free throws, only to see Rogers make one of two with 1:29 on the clock.

After several empty possessions by both teams, Rogers stole the ball and was fouled by Henry with 28 seconds to play, and the junior making both free throws to give the Falcons a one-point lead.

UMass missed three shots on its next possession before Rogers corralled a rebound with two seconds left and was fouled, making both free throws for the final score.