BOWLING GREEN – The Battle of I-75 is a historic rivalry, dating back to the 1915-16 season. Toledo leads the all-time series 98-84. They have also won five of the last six. Tonight’s game was nationally televised, which puts both programs on a huge stage.
Fans slowly filed into the Stroh Center for the basketball matchup between the Bowling Green Falcons and the Toledo Rockets. Whether in the stands or walking around the concourse, everybody was excited. Fans ranged from students to alumni, to locals looking for a Friday night activity.
While inside the Stroh was a sea of orange, many avid Toledo fans showed up to support their Rockets.
Throughout much of the first half, Toledo maintained a lead, making BGSU fans anxious. The Rocket fans were loving what they were seeing, hoping to see their lead grow. A huge play by the Falcons tied the game, and the fans went absolutely crazy. The game went into a timeout, and the crowd was still amped up.
Following the timeout, however, Toledo responded with an impressive play of their own. Their own fans jumped to their feet, sucking the energy out of the Stroh.
The second half began, and the fans began to get back in the game. Toledo started the half off hot, making the BGSU student section taunt them out of frustration. Meanwhile, the UT fans were loving it.
In the second half, the Rockets continued to hold their lead. The Stroh was quiet and the fans remained nervous. The Falcons couldn’t close the gap, and the anxiety was palpable.
BGSU kept trying to close the lead, but Toledo was stout in their responses. Even though the Falcons were down, their fans were doing their best to keep them motivated. With 3:29 to go in the game, UT held a lead of 75-67. At this point, many BG fans started to leave the arena, as they could feel their team was going to lose.
When the clock hit zero, Toledo had defeated Bowling Green, with a final score of 84-71. The UT fans cheered and celebrated their win, while the disappointed BGSU fans quietly filed out of the Stroh.
It wasn’t all bad, though. After speaking with a Bowling Green fan, there was still plenty to enjoy from the game.
Eli Konoff, from Montpelier, Ohio, said that “it’s really unfortunate we lost, especially against our rival. But at the end of the day, the energy was up there”
The crowd energy was high for the majority of the game, even when playing from behind. The Toledo crowd wasn’t huge, but they were very involved, making tons of noise.
Bowling Green and their fans travel to Kent State on Jan. 28. Toledo stays on the road, heading to Ohio University on the same day.
