Ball State University
7-7, 2-1MAC
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Western Michigan
11-5, 2-1MAC
MBB Takes First MAC Loss in Wild Finish at WMU
January 14, 2015 | Men's Basketball
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Ball State and Western Michigan had previously met 121 times in men's basketball, but few of those games had as many twists and turns as Wednesday's showdown at University Arena.
The Cardinals overcame a five-point deficit with less than 10 seconds to play in regulation only to wind up with a 95-93 double-overtime loss after one of the more confusing ends to a basketball game you will see.
Western Michigan had the final possession in a tie game with 35.2 seconds on the game clock and 34 seconds showing on the shot clock. The Broncos ran the clock down and, after a Ball State deflection, wound up with an off-balance, contested 3-pointer from Austin Richie.
Richie's attempt bounced off the rim and the shot clock went off, prompting nine of the 10 players on the court to stop playing. Even the Western Michigan bench seemed resigned to a third overtime. But Connar Tava, unbeknownst to almost everyone, tipped in the miss and official review showed the tip came before the game clock expired.
“It's such an unusual ending; needless to say, it's a bad feeling in the locker room,” Ball State coach James Whitford said. “We have to make sure we don't let it disturb us. We're playing good basketball and becoming a better team. There's a lot to build on. It's a long season, and we can't forget that. We just have to absorb this and move on.”
Ball State (7-7, 2-1 MAC) saw its four-game winning streak come to an end and suffered its first Mid-American Conference loss of the season. Western Michigan (11-5, 2-1 MAC) remained unbeaten on its home floor this season.
Five Cardinals scored in double figures for the second straight game, again led by Zavier Turner with 21 points. Matt Kamieniecki had his fifth double-double of the year with 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Franko House came up just short of one with 16 points and nine boards.
Ball State led by as many as 14 early in the second half but then saw Western Michigan's David Brown put on an astounding shooting performance in the second half. The sixth-year senior went 7 for 7 from 3-point range in the second half to key the Broncos comeback. By the time he fouled out in the second overtime, Brown had a game-high 35 points.
“We withstood a heck of an effort for David Brown,” Whitford said. “He played as well as I've seen a player play in a long time. He made some tough shots. Hats off to him; he and Connar Tava are really, really good players. It's a good win for them and a tough one for us.”
Western Michigan hit nine 3's as a team in the second half and held a 76-71 lead after two Tucker Haymond free throws with 21 seconds left in regulation. The Broncos appeared to have the game in hand before a 5-point possession for Ball State on its final trip down the court.
Sean Sellers misfired on a 3-pointer with nine seconds left, but Kamieniecki hustled down the offensive rebound and found Zavier Turner for a trey at the top of the key. As Turner's shot was going through the basket, Western Michigan's Mario Matasovic was whistled for a shoving foul on Sellers. The Ball State freshman calmly knocked down both free throws to extend the game.
Ball State led by as many as five in the first overtime, but Western Michigan came back to tie it up again with a pair of free throws from Brown to send it to a second OT tied at 89. Neither team led by more than two in the final five minutes, and Tava's tip in broke the 14th tie of the game.
Sellers finished with 18 points, while Jeremiah Davis was the fifth Cardinal in double figures with 11 points to go along with five assists.
Ball State will be back on the road Saturday to continue MAC play at Bowling Green. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. with the game televised by the Buckeye Cable Sports Network and streamed on ESPN3.com.
Team Stats
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
