CLEVELAND -- At the beginning of Friday's matchup between Ball State and Bowling Green, Kent State's assistant coaches started charting Ball State's plays in anticipation for the championship game.
With six minutes remaining in the contest, Kent State's assistants had turned their paper over, written Bowling Green at the top of the page, and started talking strategy.
In front of a record semifinal attendance of 10,613, Bowling Green advanced to it's first championship game since 1983 by defeating Ball State, 69-57 at Gund Arena in Cleveland.
Leading the Falcons to victory was the 2002 MAC Player of the Year, Keith McLeod. The senior led the game with a dominating 36 points.
The only player close to McLeod in scoring was Bowling Green's Len Matela with 19 points. Ball State's Theron Smith scored the same amount as Matela, but at the same time pulled in a game high 13 rebounds for his 21 double-double of the year.
Even after marking the double-double, Bowling Green head coach Dan Dakich thought his team defended Smith well.
"We got good help," Dakich said. "We had really good attention as to where we were supposed to be. We rarely had a break down."
It was McLeod however, that dominated Friday night as the senior went 12-18 from the field.
"He is one of the best players in the conference," Ball State coach Tim Buckley said. "One of the best he has ever come through. You can't give him 18 shots and 36 points, you have to give him 36 shots and 36 points."
Dakich was quite happy with his team's performance, especially with McLeod.
"He plays more basketball than anybody I have ever known," Bowling Green coach Dan Dakich said. "He just knows how to play basketball. We never run a play for Keith, I figure he can find a shot himself.
"I thought our kids came out with a real focus today," Dakich said. "They played good defense. We did a better job on the ball. When you do a good job on the ball you don't leave loose balls available."
The Falcons' defense held Ball State to a mere 12 percent from the three-point line and 36 percent from the field. Ball State made only eight free field goals in the entire second half.
Bowling Green's shooting however, was a bit more accurate as the Falcons shot 52 percent from the field and 45 percent from the field.
The Cardinals also found foul trouble as Lonnie Jones fouled out of the game late in the second half. On the same token, Both Chris Williams and Brian Burns finished the contest with four fouls.
"When we committed the fouls I think we were out of position and got there late," Buckley said.
The win advances Bowling Green to the championship game against Kent State to be played at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The Falcon coach said he believes his team along with Kent State are the teams that truly belong in the championship game.
-á-á-á-á"I think quite frankly that we are the two teams that belong here," Dakich said. "In my view, since Hawaii, we are the teams that have played the best in the league."
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