BOWLING GREEN — Lexi Fleming’s relentless motor while on the basketball court has been fun to watch this season.
The energy level of Bowling Green State University’s 5-foot-5 junior guard is always at full capacity, whether she’s diving after loose balls, leading a fast break, or draining shots from well beyond the 3-point line. When Fleming’s not in the game, she heads straight to an exercise bike on the bench to keep her legs loose.
But perhaps the most significant part of Fleming’s impact has been the toughness and grit she has shown while playing through pain and wearing a knee brace for the past 10 games. After missing all of last year with a torn ACL in her right knee, the 2020-21 Mid-American Conference freshman of the year has been an enormous spark for a BGSU team (24-4, 13-3 Mid-American Conference) having one of its best regular seasons in school history.
“It’s so much of who we are. Our team, at our best, we’re tough and relentless and pesky and disruptive, and when I say all of those words, you think of Lexi,” BGSU coach Robyn Fralick said. “It’s just a huge part of who she is and how she plays. Bigger picture, that’s a huge part of who we are when we’re playing really good basketball.”
Fleming’s first two years of her college career were filled with ups and downs. The Cincinnati native averaged 15.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game as a freshman in leading BGSU to a MAC regular-season title and WNIT berth, but she suffered a knee injury days before the start of the 2021-22 regular season.
Fleming has certainly battled her way back from the tough setback. What she has been able to do in the past six weeks when BGSU has had injuries to other key players has helped keep the Falcons in the hunt for a MAC title.
After senior guard and starter Morgan Sharps left BGSU’s game versus Toledo on Jan. 18 with a knee injury, Fleming scored all 11 of her points in the second half of an 88-76 win. She dished out six assists, as well, which are a season high.
She has played and started 10 of BGSU’s 11 games since and is averaging 28 minutes per game, including five games of at least 30 minutes. In her first 16 games, she averaged 19 minutes per contest and surpassed 30 just twice.
“Honestly, I think [my energy level] comes from my teammates,” Fleming said. “We have a lot of fun out there playing, so it’s really just working together and that just keeps me going.
“I know I always put it back to the team, but it really is, coming in with these girls during practices, working with them, knowing how much they’ve put in over the past years, knowing how much I’ve put in just to come back healthy. It just shows how it’s paying off for our team.”
Fleming has tweaked her knee on a couple occasions this season, including her first start on Jan. 21 at home vs. Kent State. She was in noticeable pain and had to be carried off the court minutes into the game, but returned in the second half with a knee brace and a strong mindset.
She drained three of her four 3-pointers in the final 20 minutes en route to scoring 14 points in a 75-69 victory.
“There’s definitely pain, but honestly, when you’re having so much fun with your teammates, the adrenaline gets pumping and everything, that all kind of just goes away and you put your focus elsewhere,” Fleming said.
BGSU’s deep, balanced, and talented team has noticed Fleming’s determination, as well.
“I think you never doubt Lexi’s heart,” BGSU senior forward and Loyola University Chicago transfer Allison Day said. “You never doubt that she’s going to give 110 percent, which makes you want to go harder.”
Added senior forward Kadie Hempfling: “Lex is one of the most resilient and toughest people I know. She has been incredible for this program, and I know she went through some hardships the past two years, but she’s really strong and she has overcome all of it, all of the adversity she has faced… I’m so proud of the person she is on and off the court because she has grown both ways.”
For the season, Fleming is averaging 8.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. In her past five games, she has reached double digits scoring twice, pulled down a season-high nine rebounds in another contest, and put up a stat line of seven points, six steals, five rebounds, and three assists in a separate matchup.
“She impacts winning,” Fralick said. “I think it’s the best compliment you can give to a kid is she impacts winning in so many different facets.”
BGSU can claim the MAC regular season title with wins against Ball State (23-6, 13-3) at home on Wednesday and at league-leading Toledo (23-4, 14-2) on Saturday. The Falcons have already secured a top-three seed in next week’s MAC tournament in Cleveland.
Fleming’s bounce-back season has been special more so because of the Falcons’ success instead of her own.
“It’s been great. If someone asked me ‘What is your best year so far,’ I would have to say this year, just with this team, our talent level, and our togetherness. It’s unmatched,” Fleming said. “It’s just been so much fun this year playing with all of them.”
First Published February 28, 2023, 10:35 p.m.