Photo by: Justin Casterline
Top 10 Stories of 2017-18: Persons Beats Buzzer to Stun Top-10 Notre Dame
June 12, 2018 | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Another athletic year is in the books for the Cardinals. Ball State student-athletes, coaches and teams accomplished several notable feats in 2017-18.
Through much discussion, BallStateSports.com has identified the top 10 storylines of the year. We are revealing the storylines one-by-one each week over a period of 10 weeks.
The stories are being revealed in chronological order, beginning with the fall season and running through the spring. We continue this week with a look back at a buzzer-beating win for the men's basketball team over a top-10 opponent.
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Persons Beats Buzzer to Stun Top-10 Notre Dame
The Ball State men's basketball program made national headlines at the 2001 Maui Invitational by beating No. 4 Kansas and No. 3 UCLA on back-to-back days. But in the 16 years that followed, no MAC team posted a win over an AP top-10 opponent.
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Then the Cardinals ventured to South Bend this season for a Dec. 5 matchup with ninth-ranked Notre Dame (the Irish were one spot better in the coaches poll). Not only did BSU end the MAC's 16-year drought, but the Cardinals also registered their first-ever true road win over a top-10 foe … and did so in dramatic fashion.
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After leading for more than two-thirds of the game, Ball State found itself tied at 77 after Notre Dame's Matt Farrell drained a 3-pointer with 21 seconds to play. Head coach James Whitford did not call a timeout, instead allowing his point guard Tayler Persons to create.Â
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As the clock ticked down, Persons dribbled around a screen from Trey Moses and fired a 3-pointer from just left of the top of the key. It found nothing but net with 1.7 seconds to play.
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All Notre Dame could manage on its last look was All-American Bonzie Colson's long-distance heave. It was off the mark as the Cardinals stormed the Joyce Center court to celebrate.
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As exciting as that win was, it turned out to be just the first chapter in the 2017-18 story penned by Persons. The junior would repeat the feat twice more (both at home) … from virtually the same spot on the floor.
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Four days later, this time with Ball State trailing Valparaiso by two, Persons buried a trey with 3.3 seconds remaining for a 71-70 win. Then during the conference schedule, in a tie game with Bowling Green, he hit from just slightly deeper to lift the Cardinals to a 59-56 victory.
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Persons demonstrated a clutch gene all season long. A remarkable six times throughout the year, he scored go-ahead or game-tying points in the final 20 seconds.
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Previous Storylines
June 6: Soccer's MAC West Three-Peat
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Through much discussion, BallStateSports.com has identified the top 10 storylines of the year. We are revealing the storylines one-by-one each week over a period of 10 weeks.
The stories are being revealed in chronological order, beginning with the fall season and running through the spring. We continue this week with a look back at a buzzer-beating win for the men's basketball team over a top-10 opponent.
Â
Persons Beats Buzzer to Stun Top-10 Notre Dame
The Ball State men's basketball program made national headlines at the 2001 Maui Invitational by beating No. 4 Kansas and No. 3 UCLA on back-to-back days. But in the 16 years that followed, no MAC team posted a win over an AP top-10 opponent.
Â
Then the Cardinals ventured to South Bend this season for a Dec. 5 matchup with ninth-ranked Notre Dame (the Irish were one spot better in the coaches poll). Not only did BSU end the MAC's 16-year drought, but the Cardinals also registered their first-ever true road win over a top-10 foe … and did so in dramatic fashion.
Â
After leading for more than two-thirds of the game, Ball State found itself tied at 77 after Notre Dame's Matt Farrell drained a 3-pointer with 21 seconds to play. Head coach James Whitford did not call a timeout, instead allowing his point guard Tayler Persons to create.Â
Â
As the clock ticked down, Persons dribbled around a screen from Trey Moses and fired a 3-pointer from just left of the top of the key. It found nothing but net with 1.7 seconds to play.
Â
All Notre Dame could manage on its last look was All-American Bonzie Colson's long-distance heave. It was off the mark as the Cardinals stormed the Joyce Center court to celebrate.
Â
As exciting as that win was, it turned out to be just the first chapter in the 2017-18 story penned by Persons. The junior would repeat the feat twice more (both at home) … from virtually the same spot on the floor.
Â
Four days later, this time with Ball State trailing Valparaiso by two, Persons buried a trey with 3.3 seconds remaining for a 71-70 win. Then during the conference schedule, in a tie game with Bowling Green, he hit from just slightly deeper to lift the Cardinals to a 59-56 victory.
Â
Persons demonstrated a clutch gene all season long. A remarkable six times throughout the year, he scored go-ahead or game-tying points in the final 20 seconds.
Â
Â[VIDEO] @TaylerPersons did it again! @BallStateMBB takes down its second Top 100 team this week, 71-70, beating Valpo! #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/1OuEhXMfkC
— Ball State Sports (@BallStateSports) December 9, 2017
 ÂWow. @TaylerPersons8 does it again. Ball. Game. @BallStateMBB #MACtion #ChirpChirp pic.twitter.com/ayXasL1dVE
— Ball State Sports (@BallStateSports) February 7, 2018
Previous Storylines
June 6: Soccer's MAC West Three-Peat
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