Two games between these two, two highly competitive games where Bowling Green ultimately was able to put it away late, winning both by 5. 

This is your reminder that competitive is inequal to good.  This game was terrible.  Neither team could throw it in the ocean, with most scoring coming at the rim.  Each team made two threes - Bowling Green made theirs back to back to close out what had been a 17-11 Warren Central lead, the only time the Dragons had really any separation.  I don't know the timing of Central's threes, only that both of them were ugly bank shots that went.  Kade Unseld struggled again against the Purples, who make him work for everything, and he just has not been able to get shots to drop.  I had him as roughly 3/15 from the field.  He had some good looks that rimmed out, but he just has not looked good in these games - no one has, with the exception of Mason Ritter, who really needs to be getting more touches.  Unlike the first meeting, Bowling Green got a bit more balance this time, with three in double figures, led by MJ Wardlow's 13 (who had 11 in the second half), Ritter had 12, and Deuce Bailey had 10.  Banks only had 7 this time, after carrying them in the first game.  The Purples also uncharacteristically struggled from the foul line, going just 12/20.  They missed more free throws than Central shot - the Dragons were 5/6 from the line.  Central was led by Bratton who had 15 points, Starks had 11, the only Dragons in double digits.  Kade just had the six points. 

In the first quarter of their first matchup, the teams raced out to a 20-17 score.  In the seven since, cumulatively it has been BG 78 and WC 71.  That's roughly an 11-10 score for each quarter.  These are two teams that rarely score this low - Bowling Green has only had 46 points or fewer 11 times in the last nine years.  They lost every one of those games.  This is their first win with that few on the scoreboard since.... beating Warren Central in the 2015 region finals. 

The interpretation is going to be the same as I had the first time the two teams played - each is going to think that the future is theirs, because each is going to be thinking "Surely we won't continue to shoot this poorly."  If either team gets hot in any "potential" future games this year between the two, they're liable to completely run away with it.  Bowling Green got a much better whistle this time than the last, and with the exception of about a two minute span where they sat Ritter (where Central went on a 6-0 run and they pressed him back into service), fouls didn't really play the same role they did the first time.  Oh sure, there were calls I could tell they didn't like, but that's going to happen.  Everything was much more balanced this time.  I think Central is capable of beating Bowling Green - it's really clear after two games where they pushed them.  But I think it's equally clear that if Central is meeting the level of play Bowling Green is at, that Bowling Green is going to win as they are the better team.  Their best beats Central's best, and if they're both at their worst, they're going to beat that as well.  I continue to feel we're due for two more games between these two - man I hope they're more palatable to watch.

One interesting tidbit to add that I didn't think of, that might be relevant:

-Only once has Bowling Green swept the season series with Warren Central and then subsequently lost to them in the postseason.  That was in the 1995/96 season, when they were upset in the district semifinals against the Dragons.  Season sweeps by the Purples (really either team) have not been plentiful in the history of the rivalry, particularly past the first 12 years that Central existed, but when they have swept, just the one time that they've fallen.  (The inverse is true as well - 2013/14 is the only time Central swept the season series and then lost to Bowling Green in the postseason - they fell in both the district finals and region finals that year).

Well said @DragonFire a pretty abysmal watch with 2 teams who couldn’t buy a basket outside of 4 feet. Never had the feel of a true BG/Central game both from an atmosphere and intensity standpoint. WC doesn’t want to play BG in an up and down game, so I thought they did a great job dictating the tempo. Can WC beat BG in a game played in the high 60s or 70s? I’m not sure. They absolutely can beat the Purples if the game is played in the 40s like it was last night. I’m not sure if Kade will ever get to 100% this season, but have to think he will have more than 6 points in the game that matters.  Central sat in their drop 3-2 zone for most of the game and this seemed to bewilder the Purples offensively. Bottom line, if BG plays like the team they are capable of and have shown flashes of this season, I’m not sure WCs best can match them. If they play like they have in the first 2 meetings between these two, the door is wide open. 

Wow, what a disappointing game.  I haven't been to a BG basketball game in some time.  I had envisioned a polished game from both teams and sharp execution.  What I saw was bogged down, stagnet offenses, that forced more shots than took them in rhythm.  

What did I like:  well I really liked Central's front court.  Starkes, Unseld and Bratton are a tough threesome.  They will keep you in most games on their own.  

For BG, in the first half Bailey hit two 3s in rhythm and I think that was it.  

What I didn't like:  BG didn't seem to look for Mason Ritter the whole first half.  He cleaned up alot of misses and got his points that way.  But shouldn't BG be playing more inside out with a guy like that?  Wardlow didn't seem to be in much ryhthm either.  Just really, really flat to me.

For Central, their guard play is suspect.  Unseld might be their best ball handler.  That can be a liability IMO.

I have to admit.  I left at halftime and listened to it on the way home.  It was that lackluster.  I also could have jinxed them.  Who knows.

BUT, the regional final game will be a 4th quarter game.  Central is certainly capable of beating BG, but I think @Purple_Reign has a point concerning the scores of the game.  If BG can get it up in the 60s, they have to like their chances.  I'm sure BG will work on that 3-2 zone look Central used effectively last night.

BG needs to run through Ritter to get to Saturday morning in March.