The Bowling Green State University women’s basketball team ended its seven-game winning streak with an 86-76 loss to Eastern Michigan University on Tuesday in Mid-American Conference play at the George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Sophomore Johnea Donahue recorded her second consecutive double-double for the Falcons, contributing 10 points and 10 rebounds. Four Bowling Green players reached double figures, led by junior Paige Kohler with 18 points. Senior Kaia Woods added 15 points and a team-high four assists, while sophomore Lauren Gerken also scored 10 points.
Eastern Michigan saw three players score at least 20 points each. Fernanda Ovalle led all scorers with 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Peyton Hill contributed 22 points and Sisi Eleko finished with 20. Ainhoe Cea scored 10 points, adding six assists and three steals.
Both teams combined for a total of 54 fouls and attempted a collective 81 free throws during the game. The Eagles went to the line for 48 shots, making them at a rate of just over 77 percent. Bowling Green made nearly 82 percent of its free throws, converting on 27-of-33 attempts.
The matchup featured frequent changes in momentum, with the lead shifting hands multiple times—13 ties and a total of 21 lead changes were recorded. In the first half, neither team led by more than four points. A pivotal moment came midway through the third quarter when Eastern Michigan responded to a short run by Bowling Green with seven unanswered points; Hill’s pull-up jumper broke a tie at 43-all and gave EMU a lead it would not relinquish.
Eastern Michigan held advantages in several statistical categories: they outrebounded Bowling Green by six (38-32), outscored them in the paint (34-28), and generated more points off turnovers (16-10). However, Bowling Green’s bench outscored EMU’s reserves by a wide margin (17-2).
Paige Kohler’s performance brought her career scoring total to 954 points at BGSU, moving her into 35th place on the school’s all-time list. She is now just 46 points away from becoming only the 33rd player in program history to reach the milestone of scoring at least one thousand career points.
Bowling Green will return home to start their next set of games against Central Michigan on Saturday, January 3rd at Stroh Center before heading back on the road for contests against Northern Illinois and Western Michigan later in January.
For further updates about BGSU women’s basketball, fans can follow official social media accounts or visit BGSUFalcons.com.
