Sunday, November 18
Charleston, S.C.
11:00 AM ET
Ball State University
2-3
94
vs
86
Appalachian State
1-4
1
2
OT 1
F
Ball State
37
43
14
94
Appalachian State
32
48
6
86
Photo by: Timothy Sofranko
Resilient, Energetic Cardinals Down Appalachian State in Overtime
November 18, 2018 | Men's Basketball
Tayler Persons scores 29, K.J. Walton adds 22 in final game in Charleston
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Ball State closed out the Charleston Classic with its most spirited, resilient performance of the season Sunday en route to a 94-86, overtime victory over Appalachian State at TD Arena.
It was the most attacking, up-tempo, free-wheeling effort the Cardinals have had since the season-opening win over Indiana State. It started in the first half with plays like Ishmael El-Amin's long advance pass to K.J. Walton and really picked up after the break with more transition buckets and defensive energy.
But it was the resilience that was the defining characteristic. The Cardinals (2-3) saw an 11-point lead evaporate in the final three minutes of regulation but responded by scoring the first 11 points of overtime to end their trip on a high note.
"I couldn't have been more proud," Ball State had coach James Whitford said. "We withstood a heck of a run. We defended the 3 well all game, and then they banged three in a row and sure enough we're in overtime. Our guys came to the huddle, we were completely composed and came out and answered the bell."
Ball State had the ball popping around with better movement, especially in the second half, on the way to 16 assists for the day. On back-to-back trips in the second half, Tahjai Teague fed Tayler Persons in transition, and Persons returned the favor to Teague in the half court.
Persons scored 29 points, hit all 12 of his free throws and handed out seven assists, while Walton set a career-high with 22 points.
It all looked like it was going to add up to a double-digit win in regulation. But Appalachian State (1-4) caught fire down the stretch to make it interesting. The Mountaineers threw in 3-pointers from everywhere, keying a 16-6 run to close regulation. Ronshad Shabazz's layup with 16 seconds left sent the game to overtime.
But Ball State didn't blink. Despite all the momentum on the other side, the Cardinals maintained the energy level they had from the start. Back-to-back buckets from Tayler Persons and a 3-pointer from Tahjai Teague had BSU back up seven before you could blink.
Ball State was hitting its shots in overtime, but just as big were the plays like steals from El-Amin and Kyle Mallers, blocks by Teague and Walton, and a diving effort by Trey Moses to save a possession.
"We came out today from start to finish and competed and played the game the right way, and that's why we won," Whitford said.
Persons found El-Amin for a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the half, giving the Cardinals a 37-32 lead at the break. They led all but the final 16 seconds of the second half. The Cardinals were up 11 with 2:43 before Appalachian State's late flurry.
Shabazz was a big part of that Appalachian State run. He finished with a game-high 37 points and made 5-of-7 3-pointers in the game. The rest of his team combined to shoot 2-for-13 from beyond the arc, but the two makes came in the final minutes of regulation.
Teague finished with 13 points for Ball State, while Moses had nine, all in the first half. Brachen Hazen scored seven and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.
After playing three games in four days in Charleston, Ball State is now off until after Thanksgiving. The Cardinals will return to action Saturday at 2 p.m. against Evansville with the first of two home games in four days.
It was the most attacking, up-tempo, free-wheeling effort the Cardinals have had since the season-opening win over Indiana State. It started in the first half with plays like Ishmael El-Amin's long advance pass to K.J. Walton and really picked up after the break with more transition buckets and defensive energy.
But it was the resilience that was the defining characteristic. The Cardinals (2-3) saw an 11-point lead evaporate in the final three minutes of regulation but responded by scoring the first 11 points of overtime to end their trip on a high note.
"I couldn't have been more proud," Ball State had coach James Whitford said. "We withstood a heck of a run. We defended the 3 well all game, and then they banged three in a row and sure enough we're in overtime. Our guys came to the huddle, we were completely composed and came out and answered the bell."
That advance pass from Ish to K.J. ...
— Ball State Men's Basketball (@BallStateMBB) November 18, 2018
Cardinals up 15-7 at the under-12 media timeout ... BSU getting out, running and getting the ball to the rim.#ChirpChirp | #BSUvsAPP pic.twitter.com/VPg1moxS4N
Ball State had the ball popping around with better movement, especially in the second half, on the way to 16 assists for the day. On back-to-back trips in the second half, Tahjai Teague fed Tayler Persons in transition, and Persons returned the favor to Teague in the half court.
Persons scored 29 points, hit all 12 of his free throws and handed out seven assists, while Walton set a career-high with 22 points.
It all looked like it was going to add up to a double-digit win in regulation. But Appalachian State (1-4) caught fire down the stretch to make it interesting. The Mountaineers threw in 3-pointers from everywhere, keying a 16-6 run to close regulation. Ronshad Shabazz's layup with 16 seconds left sent the game to overtime.
But Ball State didn't blink. Despite all the momentum on the other side, the Cardinals maintained the energy level they had from the start. Back-to-back buckets from Tayler Persons and a 3-pointer from Tahjai Teague had BSU back up seven before you could blink.
Ball State was hitting its shots in overtime, but just as big were the plays like steals from El-Amin and Kyle Mallers, blocks by Teague and Walton, and a diving effort by Trey Moses to save a possession.
"We came out today from start to finish and competed and played the game the right way, and that's why we won," Whitford said.
Persons found El-Amin for a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the half, giving the Cardinals a 37-32 lead at the break. They led all but the final 16 seconds of the second half. The Cardinals were up 11 with 2:43 before Appalachian State's late flurry.
TP comes up with the loose ball and feeds Ish for the trey as the ?hits 0??0??'s!
— Ball State Men's Basketball (@BallStateMBB) November 18, 2018
Cardinals take a 37-32 lead into the break.#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #BSUvsAPP pic.twitter.com/JyqoY7Dvm0
Shabazz was a big part of that Appalachian State run. He finished with a game-high 37 points and made 5-of-7 3-pointers in the game. The rest of his team combined to shoot 2-for-13 from beyond the arc, but the two makes came in the final minutes of regulation.
Teague finished with 13 points for Ball State, while Moses had nine, all in the first half. Brachen Hazen scored seven and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.
After playing three games in four days in Charleston, Ball State is now off until after Thanksgiving. The Cardinals will return to action Saturday at 2 p.m. against Evansville with the first of two home games in four days.
"Our guys came to the huddle, we were completely composed, and we came out and answered the bell."
— Ball State Men's Basketball (@BallStateMBB) November 18, 2018
Coach Whitford talks about his team's reset after Appalachian State forced overtime. pic.twitter.com/sEQ6EjbVwd
Team Stats
BSU
APP
FG%
.475
.417
3FG%
.278
.350
FT%
.767
.760
RB
43
39
TO
16
19
STL
7
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
29
FGM
8
3FGM
1
FTM
12
Pts
22
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
8
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
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