Wiggins Records 22 Rebounds In 82-76 Defeat At Central Michigan

Tuesday, January 24

Mount Pleasant, MI

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

8-12, 2-5MAC

Central Michigan

13-7, 3-4MAC

Bowling Green

Central Michigan

January 24, 2017 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: by James Nahikian, BGSU Athletic Communications

Game Highlights: BGSU at CMU
Post-Game Audio: Coach Huger With Todd Walker
Final Statistics: PDF | HTML

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team dropped an 82-76 contest to Central Michigan University on Saturday (Jan. 24) evening. The game was played at CMU's McGuirk Arena. Sophomore forward Demajeo Wiggins recorded 22 rebounds, which is the most from a Falcon in 43 years. Cornelius Cash also had 22 rebounds in a 1974 game versus San Diego State.

Wiggins, to go along with his historic 22 rebounds, also added 11 points and a career-high four assists, as well. The Toledo native has now recorded a double-double in three-consecutive games. He's averaging 13.7 points and 10.4 rebounds through the first seven MAC games of the season.

"We gave them too much space, and too much respect in the first half, and that was the difference," said head coach Michael Huger. "You see what they do on tape, and the numbers that they have, and I thought our guys were a little bit intimidated by that to start the game. As we went on, we picked it up. We weren't afraid to go out and challenge them.

"[Demajeo] did a great job on the boards. He played 31 minutes, and the pace was very fast for him, but he was able to keep up. He was able to rebound like a mad man tonight, and now the next challenge will be doing it again. We'll see on Saturday."

The Falcons got out to a 4-0 lead, but the Chippewas closed out the first half strong to take a 42-30 lead into the half. CMU led by as much as 15 points in the second half, before Bowling Green trimmed the lead to four points multiple times. However, the Falcons never got within a single possession.

Defensively, Bowling Green held CMU, a top-five offensive team in the country in a number of statistics, to 38.2 percent (26-of-68) shooting. Central Michigan went just 8-for-37 (21.6 percent) from deep, but the Chippewas won the game at the free throw line. BG went 9-for-18 from the line, while CMU went 22-for-26.

CMU's Marcus Keene and Braylon Rayson, the highest scoring backcourt in the country, were held to 39.3 percent (17-of-43) shooting for the game. They were held to a combined 4-for-21 (19.0 percent) mark from downtown.

Freshman Rodrick Caldwell, who finished the game with a career-high 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting, dominated Keene – the nation's leading scorer – in the second half. Caldwell played just six minutes in the first half, but played 15 minutes in the second half, and was matched up with Keene virtually the entire second half.

Caldwell scored 17 second-half points on 7-of-12 shooting. He held Keene to just 1-for-8 shooting over the final 20 minutes. Caldwell's 19 points were a team high.

Senior Wes Alcegaire also finished in double-figures, as he scored 16 points, while also registering four rebounds and two assists. Alcegaire has now scored 10-plus points in three-straight games. Senior Zack Denny chipped in with eight points and two rebounds, while sophomore Antwon Lillard had seven points, six rebounds and four assists.

Junior Matt Fox had five points. Redshirt-sophomore Rasheed Worrell finished with four points and three rebounds. Senior Ismail Ali and freshman Dylan Frye scored three points apiece.

Wiggins' 22 rebounds helped BGSU register a season-best 49 rebounds. The Falcons had 14 assists compared to five turnovers. The Falcons also outscored the Chippewas in the paint, 44-34. Bowling Green shot 38.0 percent (30-of-79) from the floor, and 22.6 percent (7-of-31) from three-point range.

Bowling Green will now head home to start a three-game home stand, beginning with a Saturday (Jan. 28) contest versus Ohio. The game is slated for a 4 p.m. tip. The first 400 fans through the doors will receive a Nate Thurmond bobblehead. BGSU will then host Miami (Jan. 28) and Toledo (Feb. 4).