TERRE HAUTE, Ind. ? The Indiana State Sycamores were looking to end their non-conference schedule on a positive note, after coming into the game with a 4-5 record to start the season. ISU (5-5) did just that by winning an up-and-down contest over Mid-American Conference foe Bowling Green (4-6) by a score of 62-57 at the Hulman Center on Saturday. The win improved the Sycamores' record at home to 5-0 this season and to 3-1 against teams from the MAC.
The Falcons jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead just a minute and a half into the game and eventually led by six points at 8-2 on a three-pointer by Joe Jakubowski. The Sycamores came right back with a 7-0 run to take the lead to 9-8 thanks to five-straight points from Marico Stinson and a layup by Isiah Martin with 15:13 on the clock. However, Jakubowski connected on another three-pointer to give BGSU the lead at 11-9.
ISU rallied with a 12-2 run to take the lead at 21-13 on a layup by freshman Aaron Carter with 9:32 left on the clock. The Sycamores would not relinquish the lead for the rest of the half, leading by as much as nine points at 24-15 with 6:27 left in the half on a free throw by Jay Tunnell. BGSU later cut the lead to five points at 27-22 on a jumper by Brian Moten with 40 seconds left, but senior Gabe Moore connected on a jumper with three seconds left to give ISU a 29-22 lead at the half.
The second half started with ISU pulling out to a 10-point advantage at 36-26 on a jumper by Stinson just over four minutes in. However, the Falcons chipped away at that lead courtesy of a 13-5 run and eventually trailed by just two points at 41-39 with 8:37 left on the clock. The roller coaster game continued, as ISU went on a 12-2 run to widen the lead to 53-41 on a fast-break dunk by senior Todd McCoy.
Bowling Green never gave up and fought back to cut the lead to three at 53-50 on a jumper by Chris Knight with just over three minutes left in the game. ISU held off the Falcons down the stretch, though, courtesy of six made free throws from Moore to hold on for the 62-57 victory.
Moore led the way for the Sycamores with an all-around solid performance, scoring a game-high 19 points while collecting five rebounds, dishing out seven assists and swiping seven passes. Stinson also tallied double figures for the third-straight game with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field.
The Sycamores return to action on Saturday, December 29, when they begin Missouri Valley Conference action with a road contest at in-state foe Evansville. Tip off is set for 8:05 p.m. at Roberts Stadium.
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