DES MOINES, Iowa – Led by four players in double-figure scoring, Bowling Green cruised to a 77-58 victory over the Drake University men’s basketball team in the season opener for both squads at the Knapp Center Saturday (Nov. 15) afternoon.
Drake (0-1) was paced by 16 points from freshman Reed Timmer (New Berlin, Wis.) in his first collegiate appearance with a game-high six assists during his 40 minutes on the court. Sophomore center Jacob Enevold Jensen (Lunderskov, Denmark) added 10 points with five rebounds but had his hands full with Bowling Green’s Richaun Holmes who had 12 points, four rebounds and five blocks. Jehvon Clarke led the BGSU (1-0) off the bench with 16 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the three-point arc.
As a team, BGSU shot 51.8 percent from the field, including 63.3 percent in the first half to build up a 47-31 halftime lead.
“Early on, and I’ll have to look at the film, but I thought we did a pretty good job in the first 10 minutes,” said Drake head coach Ray Giacoletti. “Guys just stepped up and made tough shots. We went under ball screens in the first half and over in the second half. We probably stayed with under too long and they shot the ball better than anticipated.
The Falcons led for all but 29 seconds of the contest and jumped out to a seven-point lead in the first five minutes of the as they hit on five of their first seven shots.
“Bowling Green has a really good basketball team,” said Drake head coach Ray Giacoletti. “They have four seniors there and they got us on our heels right away.”
Playing with a young lineup – four of Drake’s nine available players were true freshman – the Bulldogs trailed by double digits for the final 30 minutes of the game. Despite only committing 14 turnovers, the miscues were costly for the Bulldogs as BGSU scored 22 of its points off turnovers.
“We’re a work in progress right now,” Giacoletti said. “This in an opportunity for these guys to grow in a way very few freshman do. We’re going to grow with them and get better along the way. Right now it’s about these guys continuing to get comfortable and getting better.”
Drake’s freshmen scored 29 of the team’s 58 points, had 18 of the 33 rebounds and all 10 of the Bulldogs’ assists with Timmer’s six leading the way.
“Reed is somebody that we’re going to build around,” Giacoletti said. “He’s got a great feel and the neat thing about him is a lot of times with point guards, they’re not very good shooters and he can shoot the basketball as well. He led us in assists tonight and that’s what a point guard does, he leads the team.”
C.J. Rivers (Cahokia, Ill.) led Drake with eight rebounds in his first game and added six points and three assists.
BGSU extended its lead to 20 points in the first four minutes of the second half and Drake’s offense could not keep pace, shooting 29 percent in the second half and just 1-of-6 from the three-point arc after a 6-of-8 showing in the first half.
“As long as we’re fighting, we’re aggressive and we’re playing with a purpose, I’m fine.” Giacoletti said of the roster’s in-game growing pains. “We have help on its way but we’re going to grow and get better in the short term.”
The Bulldogs get their next opportunity to continue that growth on Tuesday, Nov. 18 when they travel to DePaul. The 8 p.m. game will be televised on Fox Sports 1.
