Men's Basketball Falls Short Versus Bowling Green, 63-53

Wednesday, January 30

Muncie, Ind.

7:00 P.M.

Ball State University

3-16 (2-5MAC)

Bowling Green

10-9 (5-2MAC)

Team	1	2	F
Bowling Green	31	32	63
Ball State	20	33	53

Men's Basketball Falls Short Versus Bowling Green, 63-53

January 31, 2008 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Ball State Athletics

MUNCIE, Ind. ? Despite a career-high 18 points from freshman Melvin Goins and a double-double from senior Peyton Stovall, Ball State suffered a 63-53 setback Wednesday night to Bowling Green in Worthen Arena.

“We struggled to shoot and defend the three,” Stovall said. “We didn't play our best game today. No one likes to lose but we have to continue to work in practice and get better. We still have a lot of games to play.”

The Cardinals 3-16 (2-5 MAC) got off to an early 6-1 lead, but went then went cold and allowed Bowling Green 10-9 (5-2) to score the next 13 consecutive points. The Cardinals didn't score for over eight minutes and allowed the Falcons to shoot 54 percent in the first half.

“I just thought we were slow with our close-outs,” first year Ball State head coach Billy Taylor said. “Our guys knew who the shooters were, we just didn't go a good job contesting.”

Stovall scored the first points of the game on a jumper in the lane. Goins followed it up with a two-handed dunk but hung on the rim giving the Cardinals a technical foul. Bowling Green hit one of two and the Cardinals would regain possession before Stovall connected again.

Leading the way for Bowling Green in the first half was Brian Moten who was 4-for-4 from the field and 3-for-3 behind the arc. Ball State's leading player at the half was Anthony Newell who was 3-for-7 with eight points, two rebounds and a steal. Stovall scored seven points and grabbed seven boards to go along with three assists.

“Any time a team shoots that percentage we should be mad,” Stovall said. “We didn't defend or turn it up the way we should have.”

In the second half, the hot shooting continued for the Falcons as Ball State failed to find a defensive answer. Bowling Green scored 58 percent in the second half while connecting on 10-of-17 shots and 2-for-5 from behind the three-point line.

The Cardinals turned up the intensity in the final few minutes of the game closing the lead to six on three occasions and five on one.

Ball state scored 17 points in the final five minutes of the game, but the effort was to late as Bowling Green capitalized on 16 free throw attempts in the second half.

“We played in spurts tonight,” Taylor said. “Our defense wasn't very good. We didn't do a bad job of sharing the ball, but those are the things we will keep building on, and with continued practice and experience, we will become a better program.”

The Cardinals host Miami at 2 p.m. Saturday.