HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team began the 2024-25 campaign on the road at Southern Miss on Monday (Nov. 4) as part of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. The first points of the season for BGSU came from a Derrick Butler three, scoring early and often for the Falcons, ending with 17 that tied with Trey Thomas for the team lead. Bowling Green and Southern Miss battled back-and-forth with the Golden Eagles building a 12-point lead. The Falcons challenged late, using a 7-0 run to pull within five, but Southern Miss held on for the 77-68 final. BGSU will return home for their next contest, hosting Davidson on Friday (Nov. 8). 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Falcons won the opening tip, but each team missed a three-point attempt in their first trip. Southern Miss snagged the rebound on their miss, but Javontae Campbell disrupted a pass for the first BGSU steal of the season. 
• The first points of the game came via driving layup for Southern Miss, taking a 2-0 lead with 18:40 on the clock in the first half.
• The Falcons soon answered with a Derrick Butler three, the first points of the season for BGSU and the first of Butler's Falcon career.
• BGSU and Southern Miss traded baskets with Marcus Johnson getting a putback layup followed by a spin to the rim the next time down for four quick points, making it an 8-7 Southern Miss lead at the first media break.
• A three out of the break stretched the Golden Eagle lead to 11-7. Campbell converted the next BGSU basket, going coast-to-coast turning a defensive rebound into a layup with an 11-9 tally. 
• Southern Miss utilized a 6-1 burst to push their advantage to 17-10.
• Johnson hit back-to-back triples for the Falcons, interrupted by a USM layup, to cut into the deficit, 19-16, at the under-12 media break.
• On the defensive end, Youssef Khayat tallied a block and then carried through on the other end with a two-hand slam, keeping BGSU within three at 21-18.
• The next BGSU bucket came from the first Trey Thomas triple of the season, but a quick 4-0 burst for the Golden Eagles pushed their lead to 27-21.
• A quick inbound to Johnson for a layup cut into the lead, 27-23 at the under-8 break.
• Southern Miss registered the first points out of the break, but Campbell answered with a layup of his own after a defensive back-and-forth. A similar sequence followed with another Campbell layup for BGSU, keeping the score at 31-27.
• The back-and-forth battle continued with Campbell adding a free throw and a layup for the Falcons followed by a Thomas triple, making it a 37-33 tally at the final media break of the first half. 
• Southern Miss stretched their lead with a 6-0 run to make it a 43-33 score, carrying the score to the half.
• The first BGSU points of the second half came from a Thomas layup. Sam Towns swiped a steal the next time down that turned into two Campbell free throws for a 45-37 score.
• Bowling Green recorded back-to-back quick buckets. Thomas hit a transition three off a Towns assist. Johnson then hauled in a defensive rebound and found Butler with an outlet pass, cutting the score down to 48-42. The two teams traded layups with BGSU's coming from Butler for a 50-44 score.
• After a Golden Eagle layup, Butler hit another three for Bowling Green, cutting the lead down to five at 52-47 at the media break.
• Out of the timeout, the Falcons kept the three-point pressure on, this time from Thomas to make it a one possession game at 52-50.
• Southern Miss answered with a 5-0 run to rebuild their lead to 57-50. Butler ended the run with a layup to draw within five at 57-52. Southern Miss added a bucket for a 59-52 score at the under-12 media timeout.
• Out of the timeout, Southern Miss added two jumpers to push their lead to 63-52 with a Braelon Green layup ending the run.
• After a media timeout, Khayat added his second monstrous slam of the game, making it a 63-56 score.
• Two scores pushed the Southern Miss lead to 67-56. Butler ended the scoring drought for the Falcons with a corner three, bringing it to 67-59. The score moved to 71-61 at the final media timeout with Johnson adding a layup for BGSU.
• After the break, Campbell added a layup for the Falcons to chip away at the lead. The Falcons then swung it around the arc, ending with Thomas in the corner for a three, cutting the lead down to 71-66 with a 7-0 run, resulting in a Southern Miss timeout.
• Southern Miss added two free throws followed by a Butler layup to keep the difference at five, 73-68, calling timeout. USM added two free throws and a layup for the 77-68 final.

STAT LEADERS

• Derrick Butler: 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
• Trey Thomas: 17 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
• Javontae Campbell: 14 points, 4 assists, 4 steals, 3 rebounds
• Marcus Johnson: 14 points, 4 rebounds
• Sam Towns: 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 steal
• Youssef Khayat: 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block

FALCON STAT FACTS

• As a team, the Falcons sank 10 three-pointers in the contest, the most since making 12 against Ohio on Jan. 9, 2024. 
• Trey Thomas tied for the team-lead in points, recording 17 for the Falcons, including a 5-for-7 night from three. The game marked Thomas' 19th time with double-digit points as a Falcon. The five three-pointers are the most by a Falcon since Thomas had five on Dec. 12, 2023 against Siena Heights. 
• Derrick Butler kept pace with Thomas, tying for the team-lead in scoring with 17. Butler added four rebounds, two assists and a steal to his stat line for the Falcons. 
• Marcus Johnson scored 10 of the first 16 points for the Falcons, coming in less than nine minutes of game action. Johnson finished with 14 in the game, going 2-of-5 from three. 
• Javontae Campbell matched Johnson's point total, both ending with 14 points. Campbell also led the team in assists and steals, logging four of each. 
• Sam Towns led the Falcons in rebounds, hauling in 10 with one offensive and nine defensive. The game marks the fifth double-digit rebound game of Towns' BGSU career.
• In total, 11 different players saw the floor for Bowling Green with eight Falcons making their debut in the Orange and Brown. 

UP NEXT
The Falcons will return to the Stroh Center for their home opener, slated for Friday (Nov. 8) against Davidson. Bowling Green is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip to begin the home portion of the schedule.

Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons' men's basketball team on social media
Twitter - @BGSU_Athletics and @BGSUMBB
Instagram - 'bgfalcons' and 'bgsumhoops'
Facebook - 'BGSU Athletics'
YouTube - 'Falcon Athletics'