FORT MYERS, Fla. – Bowling Green used a decisive second-half scoring run to take control and go on to claim an 82-68 victory over the Milwaukee men's basketball team in the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off Tuesday afternoon at Suncoast Credit Union Arena.
 
"It was a tough fight today," head coach Pat Baldwin said. "They hit some opportune baskets when we were trying to make a run late and it was just not enough. That's a really good team that we faced this afternoon and we have to regroup and get back after it tomorrow. And as you can see from the box score – 30 points in the paint and their tough play in there – really was the key for them."
 
The Panthers (1-3) took a 39-37 lead just seconds after halftime, only to see the Falcons (2-3) respond with a three-pointer of their own to take the advantage right back – the start of a 19-2 scoring run that provided enough cushion the rest of the way.
 
Milwaukee used its comeback ability to get back to within nine on a couple of occasions and held BGSU without a field goal for the final four minutes, but a 10-for-10 showing from the line the final 90 seconds of regulation fended off any MKE hopes down the stretch.
 
DeAndre Gholston paced the offense with 19 points, adding four rebounds and a pair of assists. Jordan Lathon and Donovan Newby each added nine points.
 
Patrick Baldwin Jr. recorded eight points and nine rebounds, limited to just 17 minutes after taking a hard fall following a foul late in the first half.
 
Daeqwon Plowden led the way for the Falcons with a career-high 26 points, adding seven boards.
 
It was Baldwin Jr. that sank a three-pointer just 21 seconds into the second half, handing the Panthers that 39-37 advantage. Bowling Green had an answer from deep 22 seconds later, taking the lead it would never relinquish.
 
"It's toughness and defense," Baldwin said. "I thought they had control from the standpoint of they were dictating what they wanted to do in the paint. We were fortunate to stem that tide a bit and hit some key shots towards the end of the half. We went up one [on that Baldwin Jr. 3] and they hit a three and then controlled the game the rest of the way."
 
The Falcons scored seven straight to lead 44-39 and eventually they put the game away when the scoring run hit 19-2 to make it 55-41 on the scoreboard. Milwaukee would trim the deficit to nine for a final time on a pair of Lathon free throws at 72-63 with 2:02 to go, but that 10-of-10 effort from the charity stripe sealed it for the Falcons.
 
MKE was up 9-5 early on a Gholston triple, but BGSU pushed back and led 18-10. Another three, this time from Markeith Browning II, snapped the skid at 18-13 with 12:27 to go in the first. A PBJ steal and pretty finish and free throw from Vin Baker Jr. made it a new game at 23-23 and a deep three from Baldwin Jr. forced another tie at 34-all as the first half ran down.
 
BGSU ended the afternoon at 44.6 percent (29-of-65) from the floor, while holding MKE to just under 40 (39.0 at 23-of-59). It also outscored the Panthers 30-16 in the paint and 17-6 in points off turnovers.
 
Milwaukee will wrap up play in the Fort Myers Tip-Off tomorrow, taking on Yale at 10 a.m. CST in a contest that will now also feature a live stream. The Bulldogs fell to Southern Utah, 88-85, in overtime.