Feb. 25, 2004

Box Score| Quotes| Notes

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP) - - Josh Almanson's conventional three-point play with 9.7 seconds left in overtime, and Cory Eyink's two free throws with 1.4 seconds on the clock rallied Bowling Green to a 79-76 victory over Toledo on Wednesday night. BGSU outscored the Rockets, 7-0 in the final 1:20. Trailing 76-74 with just under 10 seconds left, Eyink launched a three-pointer from the right corner that went in and out and into the hands of Almanson who made the putback from the weak side and was fouled by the Rockets' Justin Ingram. After canning the free throw, Toledo missed its chance to win when Keith Triplett's layup was errant off the backboard and Eyink harnessed the board with 1.4 seconds left. After Eyink extended the lead to three points, Ingram narrowly missed a 40-footer as time expired and BGSU snapped a four-game skid to the Rockets.

Ron Lewis had 20 points for Bowling Green (13-13, 8-7 MAC), and Kevin Netter had 19, while

Sammy Villegas scored 17 for Toledo (16-9, 10-6), and Keith Triplett had 14.

Toledo led 38-35 at halftime when Triplett nailed a three-pointer with 11 seconds left in the half and led by as many as seven points in the second half at 48-41 with 15:31 remaining. The Falcons whittled the lead to 50-49 with 12:05 left, but UT scored the next four points to lead 54-49 with 10:39 left.

The Falcons tied the game on a jumper by John Reimold, who finished with 16 points and built their own five-point cushion at 65-60 with 5:15 left thanks to back-to back steals by Steven Wright and layups by Ron Lewis.

Toledo came back to tie the game at 65-65 on a Villegas free throw with 2:42 left. Eyink broke the tie with a desperation triple from the left side to give BGSU a 68-65 advantage with 1:06 left in regulation. The Rockets sent the game into overtime when A.J. Shellabarger made a layup with 16 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 69. BGSU could not get a shot off at the end of regulation.

Consecutive layups by Shellabarger and Villegas, and a free throw by Ricardo Thomas gave Toledo a four-point lead with 1:37 to play, but the Rockets were shut out the rest of the way.

A layup by Wright cut the lead to two, setting up the three-point play by Almanson and Eyink's free throws.

Toledo returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 28 to battle MAC West Division champion Western Michigan at Savage Hall. Tip-off is at noon with the game being broadcast on FoxSports Ohio and FoxSports Detroit.