2008 Woodie Awards
WNIT Second Round: Michigan State 74 | BG 66; Falcons fall just short
A rally stalls and an era ends at Michigan State
By: Chris Voloschuk
Issue date: 3/25/08 Section: Sports
EAST LANSING, Mich. - With 15:51 to play in the second half of Saturday's Women's National Invitational Tournament second round game, Brittney Thomas of the Michigan State women's basketball team laid the ball in to increase her team's lead to 55-37 over BG.
The Breslin Center was rocking, and BG head coach Curt Miller had no choice but to call a timeout to try and get his team resettled.
"We dug ourselves a hole." Miller said. "In games at this level, with two very good teams, it's one or two runs in a game that kill you."
The game was getting out of hand, and the Falcons' season was on the brink of being over sooner than the game itself.
Then the team woke up. For the next 14:08, the Falcons would outscore the Spartans 27-14 with three-pointers and free throws. With 1:43 left in the game, MSU's cushy 18-point lead had nearly evaporated to just five.
But with the help of four offensive rebounds and a steal in the last minute of the game, MSU was able to hold off BG en route to a 74-66 home win.
"We were just a play or two short," Miller said. "We just got beat on the boards a little bit down the stretch when we had a chance to get that rebound to get it to a single-digit game. We just came up a little bit short."
Until the last minute of regulation, the game was still in doubt. The fact that it would be the end of a great four-year run for BG seniors Kate Achter and Whitney Taylor didn't completely register until the waning seconds of the game, when Miller called for time and Achter subbed out to a standing ovation from the Falcon fans in attendance.
Achter said after the game that despite the outcome, she was thankful to have the opportunity from Miller and his staff to wear the BG uniform.
"I can't thank coach Miller enough for the opportunity he's given me," Achter said. "I can't thank my teammates enough. They helped put me in this position."
Achter would finish her final collegiate game with 16 points and seven assists.
The Breslin Center was rocking, and BG head coach Curt Miller had no choice but to call a timeout to try and get his team resettled.
"We dug ourselves a hole." Miller said. "In games at this level, with two very good teams, it's one or two runs in a game that kill you."
The game was getting out of hand, and the Falcons' season was on the brink of being over sooner than the game itself.
Then the team woke up. For the next 14:08, the Falcons would outscore the Spartans 27-14 with three-pointers and free throws. With 1:43 left in the game, MSU's cushy 18-point lead had nearly evaporated to just five.
But with the help of four offensive rebounds and a steal in the last minute of the game, MSU was able to hold off BG en route to a 74-66 home win.
"We were just a play or two short," Miller said. "We just got beat on the boards a little bit down the stretch when we had a chance to get that rebound to get it to a single-digit game. We just came up a little bit short."
Until the last minute of regulation, the game was still in doubt. The fact that it would be the end of a great four-year run for BG seniors Kate Achter and Whitney Taylor didn't completely register until the waning seconds of the game, when Miller called for time and Achter subbed out to a standing ovation from the Falcon fans in attendance.
Achter said after the game that despite the outcome, she was thankful to have the opportunity from Miller and his staff to wear the BG uniform.
"I can't thank coach Miller enough for the opportunity he's given me," Achter said. "I can't thank my teammates enough. They helped put me in this position."
Achter would finish her final collegiate game with 16 points and seven assists.
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