Bowling Green State University’s men’s basketball team suffered its first home loss of the season, falling to William & Mary 82-74 on Wednesday night at the Stroh Center. The defeat brings the Falcons’ record to 3-2 as they prepare for a series of road games, including participation in the Fort Myers Tip-Off next week.
The Falcons started strong defensively, forcing 18 turnovers from William & Mary and recording 12 steals along with five blocks. Despite these efforts, Bowling Green struggled offensively, shooting just 3-for-19 from three-point range and committing 18 turnovers themselves.
Javontae Campbell led Bowling Green with 17 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Josiah Shackelford added 11 points and five rebounds. Sam Towns contributed 10 points and eight rebounds, nearly achieving a double-double. Justin Thomas scored a season-high 10 points while also tallying three blocks. Other key contributors included Javon Ruffin with nine points and Mayar Wol with nine points as well.
After an early exchange of leads, William & Mary went on a decisive run in the first half to build a significant advantage. Although Bowling Green mounted several comebacks throughout the game—including an 8-0 run in the second half—they were unable to close the gap completely.
Coach Todd Simon addressed the team’s performance after the game: “Obviously a disappointing night. I thought we had a really good couple days of preparation. At the end of the day, we couldn’t put the ball in the basket and that’s going to make it really difficult to beat anybody when you shoot 3-for-19 from three and turn it over 18 times. We didn’t have any trouble with the press, but then when we got the ball in the half court we turned the ball over 18 times, it’s going to be really hard to get a win. We need to get back to the drawing board. We’ve got to get more time in the gym, more shots and fix our problems.”
Looking ahead, Bowling Green will play their next three games on the road starting Monday against Bucknell at noon before facing VMI on Wednesday at 11 a.m.
Fans can follow updates about Bowling Green’s men’s basketball team through their official social media channels on Twitter (@BGSU_Athletics and @BGSUMBB), Instagram (‘bgfalcons’ and ‘bgsumhoops’), Facebook (‘BGSU Athletics’ and ‘BGSU Men’s Hoops’), and YouTube (‘Falcon Athletics’).
