Wednesday, November 20
Muncie, Ind.
7:00 PM ET
Ball State University
3-2,0-0MAC
57
vs
59
Northern Kentucky
4-1,0-0Horizon
1
2
F
Northern Ky.
21
38
59
Ball St.
22
35
57
Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
Cardinals Leave Opportunity at Foul Line against Defending Horizon Champs
November 20, 2019 | Men's Basketball
Mallers scores 17 points, all in second half, to lead BSU in opener of five-game homestand
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Kyle Mallers scored 17 second-half points and the Ball State men's basketball team put forth a gritty effort, but the Cardinals left one at the free throw line Wednesday against an NCAA Tournament team from a year ago.
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Ball State held Northern Kentucky to 28 percent shooting in the first half, built a nine-point lead and played with toughness throughout. But the Cardinals made just 9-of-26 from the stripe in a 59-57 loss to the defending Horizon League champions, snapping a 17-game home, non-conference winning streak.
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"I thought we did a lot of good things," Ball State head coach James Whitford said. "We played well enough to win the game. The thing we couldn't overcome was the free throw shooting. It was so overwhelming, our inability to come away with points when we got to the line."
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Despite all their troubles from their charity stripe, the Cardinals (3-2) were right there with a chance at the end. Ishmael El-Amin's steal of an NKU inbounds pass gave BSU the ball with 10 seconds left and trailing by two.
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But Northern Kentucky (4-1), a match-up zone defensive team, came out for the final possession in man-to-man. The Cardinals could no longer get the ball to Jarron Coleman at the foul line and let him drive or distribute, as was the plan. Instead Josh Thompson was left with a contested runner that was off the mark.
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"I thought we fought our tail off," Whitford said. "I thought they fought their tail off. It was a really intense game. It felt like a really high-level MAC game out there with how hard both teams were playing."
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El-Amin scored 13 points, and K.J. Walton added 12. Tahjai Teague recorded his second straight double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. But a late injury to Walton and Teague fouling out left the Cardinals without two prominent options in the final minute.
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Mallers made 4-of-7 from 3-point range, but it was a tough shooting night from deep for the rest of the team against the NKU matchup zone. Both teams finished the game 4-of-18 from deep.Â
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"In the beginning we were a little iffy out there with a few decisions, but it wasn't lack of effort, it wasn't lack of concentration," Whitford said. "It's just a very different style (NKU plays). Once we settled in, I thought we did a lot of good things."
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Ball State led by as many as nine points with just under 15 minutes to play in the game. But Northern Kentucky used a 12-2 run to turn a 37-28 deficit into a 40-39 lead, and it was a tight game the rest of the way.Â
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The Cardinals held preseason All-Horizon League guard Tyler Sharpe, NKU's top scorer, to 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting. Dantez Walton (18 points) and Trevon Faulkner (17) led the way for the Norse.
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Wednesday marked the beginning of a five-game Ball State homestand. The Cardinals will host Howard at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the back end of a women's and men's doubleheader at Worthen Arena.
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Ball State held Northern Kentucky to 28 percent shooting in the first half, built a nine-point lead and played with toughness throughout. But the Cardinals made just 9-of-26 from the stripe in a 59-57 loss to the defending Horizon League champions, snapping a 17-game home, non-conference winning streak.
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"I thought we did a lot of good things," Ball State head coach James Whitford said. "We played well enough to win the game. The thing we couldn't overcome was the free throw shooting. It was so overwhelming, our inability to come away with points when we got to the line."
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Despite all their troubles from their charity stripe, the Cardinals (3-2) were right there with a chance at the end. Ishmael El-Amin's steal of an NKU inbounds pass gave BSU the ball with 10 seconds left and trailing by two.
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But Northern Kentucky (4-1), a match-up zone defensive team, came out for the final possession in man-to-man. The Cardinals could no longer get the ball to Jarron Coleman at the foul line and let him drive or distribute, as was the plan. Instead Josh Thompson was left with a contested runner that was off the mark.
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"I thought we fought our tail off," Whitford said. "I thought they fought their tail off. It was a really intense game. It felt like a really high-level MAC game out there with how hard both teams were playing."
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Kyle Mallers from 3! Mallers hits his 4th from deep to give the Cardinals the one point lead!
— Ball State Basketball (@BallStateMBB) November 21, 2019
Ball State 50 - Northern Kentucky 49#WeFly | #ChirpChirp pic.twitter.com/fmo5T0vxv9
El-Amin scored 13 points, and K.J. Walton added 12. Tahjai Teague recorded his second straight double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. But a late injury to Walton and Teague fouling out left the Cardinals without two prominent options in the final minute.
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Mallers made 4-of-7 from 3-point range, but it was a tough shooting night from deep for the rest of the team against the NKU matchup zone. Both teams finished the game 4-of-18 from deep.Â
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"In the beginning we were a little iffy out there with a few decisions, but it wasn't lack of effort, it wasn't lack of concentration," Whitford said. "It's just a very different style (NKU plays). Once we settled in, I thought we did a lot of good things."
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Ish cuts to the basket and finds the bucket to bring his total to 11 points on the night, that leads both teams!
— Ball State Basketball (@BallStateMBB) November 21, 2019
Ball State 39 - Northern Kentucky 33#WeFly | #ChirpChirp pic.twitter.com/yrzDV5pDlW
Ball State led by as many as nine points with just under 15 minutes to play in the game. But Northern Kentucky used a 12-2 run to turn a 37-28 deficit into a 40-39 lead, and it was a tight game the rest of the way.Â
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The Cardinals held preseason All-Horizon League guard Tyler Sharpe, NKU's top scorer, to 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting. Dantez Walton (18 points) and Trevon Faulkner (17) led the way for the Norse.
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Wednesday marked the beginning of a five-game Ball State homestand. The Cardinals will host Howard at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the back end of a women's and men's doubleheader at Worthen Arena.
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"It felt like a really high-level MAC game out there with how hard both teams were playing."
— Ball State Basketball (@BallStateMBB) November 21, 2019
— Coach Whit pic.twitter.com/tIo7UqxMvV
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Team Stats
NKU
BSU
FG%
.373
.407
3FG%
.222
.222
FT%
.680
.346
RB
38
37
TO
17
15
STL
6
11
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
3
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
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/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
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