Zack Denny’s favorite spot to shoot from 3 is at the top of the key. But he’ll gladly shoot from the
right wing.
Denny, one of Bowling Green’s seniors to never beat Toledo, connected on a trio of clutch 3-pointers from
the right wing to send the Falcons to a 104-100 win over the Rockets in double overtime in the Stroh
Center in a Saturday thriller.
The Falcons’ win snapped a six-game losing streak to its arch-rival that resides just 25 miles north on
I-75.
“BG is a much happier place now that we beat Toledo finally,” quipped Bowling Green coach Michael Huger,
whose team improved to 10-13 overall and 4-6 in the Mid-American Conference.
The Falcons had five players score in double figures with Denny producing a career-high 30 points on
8-of-11 shooting, including 5-for-5 from 3-point range. Wes Alcegaire had 22 points, Demajeo Wiggins had
16, Antwon Lillard had 12 and Ismail Ali added 10.
Bowling Green shot a season-best 58.7 percent from the field, eclipsing the 100-point plateau for the
first time since Nov. 9, 2013.
“We were very good. Our team was very good and gave ourselves a chance at the end,” Huger said.
“Zack was great tonight,” he added.
Perhaps it was the understatement of the night.
Denny flew around the court throughout the contest, gathering six steals and going 9-for-11 from the
free-throw line.
The 6-foot-2 guard came off the bench for the second straight game after serving a one-team suspension
issued by Huger. But he was on the floor when it mattered most.
Toledo’s Jonathan Williams knocked down a 3 from the right corner to send the game to overtime, tied at
75-75, but Denny would top it no less than five minutes later.
With 1:48 left in the first overtime Denny fouled Williams on a 3-point attempt to put Toledo (11-12,
4-6) ahead 87-80 – its largest lead since midway through the second half.
The Falcons got it back to 89-86 before Huger called timeout with 8.1 seconds left, setting up Denny for
his first of three memorable shots.
Huger drew up a play where Denny was the team’s third option. There wasn’t a defender within reach when
he caught nothing but the bottom of the net, knotting the game at 89-89 with 5.5 seconds left, sending
the crowd into a frenzy and the game into a second overtime.
“That’s a foul situation for us,” said Toledo coach Tod Kowalczyk.
“We were supposed to stay on top of the screens and guard the 3-point line,” he added.
Huger noticed Toledo trying to foul before calling timeout, setting up his play just in front of the
Bowling Green bench.
“The second option was a decoy to get them to move, and they did,” Huger said. “Zack came open and I was
surprised at how open he was for the first 3.”
Bowling Green trailed 99-96 in the second overtime before Denny came off another screen from the right
wing, and left no doubt with a game-tying shot with 1:18 showing on the clock.
It turned out to just be a set up.
Toledo went up 100-99 with a free throw after a foul by Alcegaire with 46 seconds left. Denny snatched
the rebound and with 28 seconds left stroked his third triple from the right wing, putting Bowling Green
ahead 102-100.
Jaelan Sanford took a 3 from the top that ended up short. The ball glanced into the backcourt for an
over-and-back violation by Toledo with 12 seconds left, and Denny iced the game with a pair of free
throws.
“As a shooter, when you start hitting a couple you feel like the rim just gets twice as big,” Denny said.
“It was special for sure,” he added. “I just went out there and gave it my all, and it went my way
tonight.”
NOTES: It was BG’s first win over Toledo since Feb. 11, 2011 … It was the first double overtime game for
BG since Jan. 8, 2011 at Buffalo … BG scored 50 points in the paint … There were nine ties and seven
lead changes in the game … Toledo led for 41:46 of the game … It was Toledo’s sixth overtime game this
season, tying Indiana State for the most in the country … BG plays at Kent State on Tuesday.
BGSU 104, TOLEDO 100, 2 OT
TOLEDO (11-12, 4-6)
Taylor, 9-1-4—25; Navigato, 1-4-2—16; Williams, 5-3-5—14; Sanford, 6-3-0—24; Lauf, 1-2-1—9; Roberts,
0-0—0; Knpake, 0-1-2—5. TOTALS: 22-14-14—100.
BGSU (10-13, 4-6)
Wiggins, 7-2—16; Alcegaire, 6-2-4—22; Hluchoweckyj, 1-0—2; Caldwell, 1-0—2; Frye, 1-1-0—5; Denny,
3-5-9—30; Lillard, 4-4—12; Ali, 4-2—10; Fox, 0-1-0—3; Worrell, 1-0—2. TOTALS: 28-9-21—104.
Halftime score: UT, 43-39. Score after regulation: 75-75. Score after first OT: 89-89. Technical fouls:
None. Attendance: 2,676.
