Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
12-8 (4-4MAC)
Buffalo
12-6 (6-2MAC)
Second Half Dooms Men's Hoops At Buffalo
February 01, 2012 | Men's Basketball
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Despite a game-high 21 points from senior forward Jarrod Jones (Michigan City, Ind./Michigan City), the Ball State men's basketball team suffered a 73-57 loss to Mid-American Conference foe Buffalo Wednesday night at Alumni Arena. The Bulls opened the second half on a 24-10 run to improve to 6-2 in MAC play while the Cardinals fell to 4-4 in league action.
Jones reached the 20-point mark for the 10th time this season as he scored 21 points and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. He was 8-of-16 from the field and hit all four free throws but was the only Cardinal in double figures in the loss. Ball State only hit 36.8 percent (21-of-57) from the field in the loss and just 20 percent (4-of-20) from long range.
Buffalo connected on 64.0 percent (16-of-25) from the field in the second half, including 70 percent (7-of-10) from three-point land as it scored 44 second half points. Mitchell Watt led three Bulls in double figures with 20 points and seven rebounds while Zach Filzen added 14 points.
The two teams battled back and forth for most of the first half with Buffalo holding a 21-16 lead with just over six minutes left in the half. Watt was the offensive catalyst for the Bulls in the early going as he scored 10 of the Bulls' first 21 points.
Ball State answered back with six straight points to take its first lead at 22-21 with 3:06 left. Jones scored four points in the run as he went to work in the post while sophomore Tyler Koch (Winchester, Ind./Wright State) scored in the paint.
Buffalo closed the first half on an 8-2 run over the final 3:06 to take a 29-24 lead into the locker room. The Bulls got back-to-back three-pointers from Auraum Nuiriankh and Filzen to take the lead back before Titus Robinson and sophomore Tyrae Robinson (Gary, Ind./Bowman Academy) traded baskets in the final minute.
Ball State connected on just 37.0 percent (10-of-27) from the field and only 22.2 percent (2-of-9) from three-point land in the first half. Jones led the Cardinals with nine points while Koch added six points in the half. Buffalo connected on 44.0 percent (11-of-25) from the field and 33.3 percent (3-of-9) from long range. The Bulls also owned a 20-13 edge on the glass in the first half.
After an opening basket by Jones cut the lead to four points, Buffalo posted a 10-2 run to extend the lead back to double digits. Filzen ignited the spurt as he hit two straight three-pointers, including one in transition off a Cardinals' turnover.
Ball State tried to stay close to the Bulls but each time the Cardinals made a basket in the second half, Buffalo responded with a run of its own as it extended the lead to a game-high 22 points at 71-49 with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
Sophomore Jesse Berry (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson) scored nine points in his first start of the season as he was 3-of-10 from the field. Robinson finished with eight points and five assists off the bench while Koch chipped in six points.
The Cardinals return home Saturday afternoon to begin a stretch of four home games in their next five contests as Ball State hosts rival Miami. Game time is set for 4 p.m. at Worthen Arena and will be the second game of a men's/women's doubleheader.
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