DEKALB, Ill. — The Bowling Green State University women’s basketball team saw its five-game winning streak snapped as the Falcons suffered a second-half collapse in an 84-77 double-overtime loss at Northern Illinois in Mid-American Conference action Saturday afternoon.
BGSU (16-12, 9-7 MAC), which had won its past five games — including four straight in the MAC — led by as many as 17 in the fourth quarter before the Huskies managed to rally.
An Amy Velasco layup put the visitors on top 62-48 with 6:22 remaining in regulation, but the Falcons would go scoreless until the final minute after a 14-0 run by Northern Illinois (13-15, 6-10). The Huskies’ Lexi Carlsen, who notched 19 points off the bench, and Chelby Koker, who finished with a game-high 28 points, combined for 11 points during that run.
Bowling Green reclaimed the lead with 41 seconds to go on a Johnea Donahue layup, ending a scoring drought of more than five minutes. But Northern Illinois tied it up at the buzzer when, off a Sidney McCrea missed 3-pointer, Koker was there to tip it in, sending the game to overtime tied at 64.
Scoring came at a premium in the first overtime session that ended with the Falcons and Huskies knotted up at 70. In the second overtime, NIU locked down the Falcons over the final 3:24, outpacing them 10-2 during that span.
Velasco knocked down a 3 that gave BGSU a 75-74 lead with 3:24 remaining, then the Falcons went 3:16 without another field goal until another made shot by Velasco with under 10 seconds to play. That bucket got the Falcons within five at 82-77, but a pair of McCrea free throws sealed the Huskies’ come-from-behind victory.
Velasco managed 16 points and five assists for the Falcons. BGSU was led by Donahue with 18 points and Paige Kohler with 17. Erika Porter had 12 points and nine rebounds, and Lexi Fleming had 10 points.
The Falcons shot 30 of 70 (42.9 percent) for the game, compared to NIU hitting 28 of 64 (43.8 percent) and 9 of 18 (50 percent) from 3. Bowling Green did hold a 41-37 edge on the boards and a 42-32 advantage in points in the paint.
The Falcons are still in line for a MAC tournament berth despite Saturday’s result. They are currently in sixth in the MAC standings with two regular-season games remaining. The top eight teams qualify for the tournament that begins March 12 in Cleveland.
BGSU next welcomes Kent State (19-10, 11-5) to the Stroh Center at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
First Published March 1, 2025, 11:05 p.m.
