Blade college sports coverage: 11/19

Bowling Green's Dylan Frye celebrates his game-winning shot against Florida Gulf Coast Saturday at Stroh Center in Bowling Green.

The Blade/Kurt Steiss
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Football

OSU seniors finish in style, rout Illinois

COLUMBUS — Ohio State’s seniors stepped onto the field at Ohio Stadium for the final time as players and promptly gave themselves a parting gift.

Most of the day off.

The No. 8 Buckeyes’ final home game of the season Saturday lost its appeal almost as soon as it started, as Ohio State overwhelmed visiting Illinois immediately and never let up in a 52-14 victory. FULL STORY ■ BUCKEYES CLINCH BIG TEN EAST

Michigan loses its quarterback, then game against Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. — A Michigan season filled with obstacles and misadventure took its most dramatic turn late in the third quarter Saturday.

The Wolverines trailed fifth-ranked Wisconsin 14-10 when Brandon Peters was driven into the ground by Wisconsin linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel. It looked nondescript until Peters didn’t get up.

After a lengthy delay, the Michigan quarterback was hoisted onto a golf cart with a head injury. With the energy draining from UM’s sideline, Wisconsin found little resistance in the fourth quarter en route to a 24-10 victory. FULL STORY ■ GENOA’S DEITER DEVELOPS INTO VITAL COG FOR WISCONSIN

Bowling Green's Dylan Frye celebrates his game-winning shot against Florida Gulf Coast Saturday at Stroh Center in Bowling Green.

Men’s basketball

BGSU stuns Florida Gulf Coast with comeback, buzzer-beater

BOWLING GREEN — Bowling Green State University men’s basketball coach Michael Huger had a talk with guard Dylan Frye on Tuesday.

“We talked about being the best player, and what comes with being the best player,” Huger said. “You may not have your best game, but you have to have your best finish. He didn’t have his best game, but I’ve seen him enough to put the ball in his hands at game’s end.”

And Frye made Huger into a prophet, sinking a 24-foot 3-pointer just before the final buzzer to lead the Falcons to an 83-80 win over Florida Gulf Coast at the Stroh Center Saturday. FULL STORY/PHOTO GALLERY ■ VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Toledo improves to 3-0 with win over Oakland

The recipe for success was a bit different for the University of Toledo men’s basketball team on Saturday at Savage Arena, but the Rockets got the result they wanted with an 87-74 victory over Oakland.

Toledo struggled with its outside shooting, but took care of the ball and clamped down on the defensive end against the high-scoring Golden Grizzlies and it paid off with a key home win that keeps the Rockets unbeaten early in the season. FULL STORY/PHOTO GALLERY ■ VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Toledo's Kaayla McIntyre shoots under pressure from Louisiana-Lafayette's Simone Fields Saturday at Savage Arena.

Women’s basketball

Toledo tops Louisiana-Lafayette

After a rough shooting outing Tuesday at No. 5 Louisville, University of Toledo junior guard Olivia Cunningham quickly found her shooting stroke and led the Rockets to a 79-55 win Saturday against Louisiana-Lafayette at Savage Arena.

Cunningham provided a spark off the bench, going 9-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line on the way to a career-high 27 points. FULL STORY/PHOTO GALLERY ■ VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Hockey

Bowling Green knocks off No. 5 Minnesota State

MANKATO, Minn. — The Bowling Green State University hockey team scored three power-play goals on the way to a 4-1 victory over No. 5 Minnesota State in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association contest Saturday.

The Falcons (6-4-3) split their weekend road series with the Mavericks, the first-place team in the WCHA standings. The victory allows BG to maintain its hold on second place in the league with a 5-2-3-2 mark. FULL STORY

Volleyball

Owens falls in national championship match

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Owens volleyball team saw its dreams of winning its first title in a women’s sport dashed Saturday as they fell 25-23, 25-20, 14-25, 25-19 to Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II national championship at the Charleston Civic Center.

The Express (40-1) saw its 40-match winning streak come to an end, as it was just the 10th time this season they had a match extend past three sets. It is the highest finish Owens has had since starting competition in Division II. Owens finished ninth in the national tournament in 2015 and third in the event in 2016. FULL STORY