Ball State University Athletics
Adler's Game-High 17 Sparks Cardinals To MAC Win
January 24, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Adler took advantage of his most significant playing time of the season in Ball State's 68-41 victory over Central Michigan.
Adler entered the game before the first media timeout and quickly made his mark. He scored 13 points in just eight minutes of first-half action and finished with a game-high 17 points.
Ball State (6-9, 2-5 MAC) earned its second consecutive victory by shutting down Central Michigan over the game's final 30 minutes.
"It feels good," Adler said. "Everyone's having fun, and there is nothing better than that. We've been waiting for this. It feels great."
Trailing 21-19 with 9:48 at play in the first half, Ball State's defense clamped down. Central Michigan (3-13, 1-7 MAC) managed only 20 points the rest of the game, including 16 second half points on just four made field goals.
It was the third time this season Ball State has held a team to four second-half baskets.
"We base our game on defensive stops, and that's what we work on in practice, so it was good to see it pay off tonight," freshman guard Jalon Perryman said. "After we get a good stop on defense, it's easy to run an effective offense."
Perryman, making his sixth consecutive start, had the hot hand early. He matched Adler with 13 first half points on 5-of-6 shooting.
Skip Mills, the MAC's second-leading scorer entering the game, struggled from the floor but made 8-of-10 free throws on his way to 14 points. Mills also pulled down seven rebounds and handed out three assists.
"Everybody's gameplan is to shut down Skip," Buckley said. "I think what it does is it opens things up for guys like Jalon and Landon, and hopefully it'll be a different guy every night."
Ball State took a 41-16 lead into halftime. The Cardinals opened up their largest lead at 63-33 on a fastbreak dunk by Mills with 6:04 to play.
Ball State grabbed 18 offensive rebounds and out-rebounded Central Michigan 46-28.
Coming off back-to-back high scoring games, Maurice Acker scored just three points, but the freshman guard dished out seven assists. He also drew the defensive assignment on Giordan Watson, Central Michigan's leading scorer. Watson, who came in averaging 14 points per game, scored four points on 1-of-13 shooting.
Sefton Barrett led the Chippewas with 11 points, and Chris Kellermann added 10.
Ball State now travels to Western Michigan for a MAC West contest at 7 p.m. Thursday.
