Ball State University
7-16 (2-10MAC)
Bowling Green
17-6 (9-3MAC)
Men's Hoops Falls to First-Place Bowling Green
February 14, 2015 | Men's Basketball
By Doug Zaleski
BallStateSports.com
An evaluation of the box score from the Ball State men's basketball game Saturday against Bowling Green revealed all manner of interesting numbers.
The Cardinals shot 53.5 percent from the field, their fifth-best performance of the season.
They made half of their 20 shots from the 3-point line, the second time they made at least 50 percent in the past 10 games. They had a 27-24 advantage in rebounding. Ball State also had five double-figure scorers.
“If you just looked at their stats, knowing us, you'd think we would have lost the game,” Bowling Green coach Chris Jans said.
Instead, the Falcons made more than half of their field-goal attempts on the road and turned the ball over just five times. Bowling Green never led by fewer than 10 points in the second half, and the Mid-American Conference's best team (record-wise) won 79-65 in Worthen Arena.
Cardinals coach James Whitford said the good elements of his team's play were neutralized by mistakes: too many turnovers (16) and an inability to consistently make stops on defense.
“(Bowling Green) shot well from 3, but my greatest concern for us is our inability to defend in the paint,” Whitford said. “The ability to defend around the rim is our biggest issue. It's a much bigger issue than defending the 3, especially with (Matt Kamieniecki) out. They shot 60 percent at the rim.”
Ball State played its third straight game – and fifth in the past seven – without 6-foot-8 center Matt Kamieniecki, who is nursing a sore back. Whitford said when Kamieniecki returns will be a joint decision between those two and the training staff.
One of the main factors recently troubling the Cardinals (7-16, 2-10 MAC) is their opponents' shooting success.
MAC East leader Bowling Green (17-6, 9-3) made 50.9 percent of its field-goal attempts (.652 in the second half), continuing a trend where six of the Cardinals' last eight opponents have shot 50 percent or better. Part of the success enjoyed by those foes comes from Kamieniecki not being in the lineup to defend down low.
Cardinals point guard Zavier Turner, who had 15 assists in his previous eight games, tied his career best with eight against the Falcons.
Whitford said Turner and Jeremiah Davis were “over dribbling” in the first half when they combined for three assists (all by Turner) and three turnovers. Turner had five assists in the second half.
“In the second half, I thought (Turner) played … a real simple, good game,” Whitford noted. “He had a very, very good half of basketball running our team, and that's why we shot 56 percent from the field and 55 percent from the 3 (after halftime). You have to have good guard play to be good on offense, and he was good in the second half.”
Francis Kiapway made 4-of-6 3-pointers and scored a team-high 16 points for the Cardinals. Turner added 12 points, Bo Calhoun and Franko House each had 11, and Davis 10. Calhoun had nine rebounds.
Ball State will play at Kent State at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Team Stats
Game Leaders
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