Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
4-9
Indiana
9-3
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ball State | 22 | 35 | 57 |
| Indiana | 34 | 37 | 71 |
Men's Basketball Falls To Indiana
December 30, 2006 | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Despite 16 points and 11 rebounds from Anthony Newell, an under-sized and short-handed Ball State men's basketball team battled the Big Ten's Indiana Hoosiers before falling 71-57 Saturday night at Assembly Hall.
The Cardinals played without the services of 6-foot-10 big man Micah Rollin, who suffered an ankle sprain in practice late in the week. His status was a game-time decision, while 6-4 freshman forward Rashaun McLemore broke his right hand in practice on Friday and is out for the season.
In addition, 6-6 forward D'Andre Peyton joined the team just prior tip-off after his father's funeral earlier in the day in Indianapolis.
"We had to go small from the beginning of the game tonight," says BSU first-year head coach Ronny Thompson. "We didn't have all our ammunition, but we still fought and played hard the entire game. For us to come into Assembly Hall and out-rebound Indiana, with what we have, tells you something about the character of this team. They did not give up."
The visiting Cardinals built a pair of five-point leads early in the game, before the two teams exchanged leads through the first 14 minutes of the contest.
After IU took a 22-20 lead with 7:12 on the clock, a layup from Chris Ames knotted the score at 22 all with 6:52 remaining. The bucket was the Cardinals' final field goal in the first half, as IU capped the final six-plus minutes with a 12-0 run to lead 34-22 at the break.
In the second half, Ball State managed just three field goals in the first four minutes and suffered nearly a six-minute scoring drought as Indiana opened up a pair of 25-point leads in the final 12 mintues.
Besides the 16 points and 11 boards from Newell, Skip Mills and Peyton Stovall each scored 15 points to lead three Cardinals in double figures. Mills and Ames each grabbed seven rebounds.
Ball State held a 38-35 edge in rebounding, marking just the second time this season the Hoosiers have been out-rebounded by an opponent.
The Cardinals, who finished perhaps one of the most grueling non-conference schedules in school history, fall to 4-9 overall. Four of the nine losses have been to teams ranked in the top 25.
Ball State returns to Worthen Arena to open Mid-American Conference play Jan. 6 vs. Toledo.
