Tuesday, March 5
Ypsilanti, Mich.
7:00 PM ET
Ball State University
15-15 (6-11MAC)
61
at
68
Eastern Michigan
15-15 (9-8MAC)
1
2
F
Ball State
24
37
61
Eastern Michigan
36
32
68
Photo by: Steve Woltmann
Key EMU 3’s Thwart Cardinals’ Rally in Ypsilanti
March 05, 2019 | Men's Basketball
Ball State will close regular season Friday with #MuncieOut versus NIU
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- The Ball State men's basketball team rallied to cut a 12-point halftime deficit to three on three occasions down the stretch, but the Cardinals came up short Tuesday in a 68-61 loss at Eastern Michigan.
EMU's Ty Groce hit two timely 3-pointers in the closing minutes to keep the Eagles (15-15, 9-8 MAC) out in front. They were his only two baskets of the game, and both came at moments when Ball State had pulled within three.
"We were helping off of (Groce) a little bit, but Tahjai (Teague) got a heck of a challenge," Ball State head coach James Whitford said. I thought we played well, and then Ty Groce stepped up and hit two big 3's."
Teague paced Ball State (15-15, 6-11 MAC) with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Tayler Persons added 13 points and K.J. Walton 10. James Thompson IV led Eastern Michigan with 20 points and 23 rebounds, collecting all but 10 of his team's 33 boards, as he became the leading rebounder in EMU history.
Ball State dropped its final road game of the regular season and will return home to close things out Friday at 7 p.m. against Northern Illinois in the fourth annual #MuncieOut game. Promotions include free parking, dollar hot dogs, and specially-priced tickets.
Tuesday's results from around the league also locked Ball State into a road game Monday night in the first round of the MAC Tournament.
The difference for Eastern Michigan on Tuesday was a 10-0 spurt during the first half. Ball State led 19-18 with 8:24 left before the break but only scored five points the remainder of the half. Thompson racked up 13 of his points and 14 of his rebounds in the first half, and the Cardinals never led again.
"Where we really cost ourselves was the 8-minute to the 4-minute mark of the first half," Whitford said. "Outside of that four minutes, I thought we played 36 minutes of good basketball."
Ball State attacked Eastern Michigan's zone defense with ball movement early and was able to get looks at the rim. The Cardinals scored 22 of their 24 first-half points in the paint and the other two at the free throw line.
BSU found some range in the second half and knocked down 4-of-8 from beyond the arc, including a pair by Kyle Mallers. Persons' 3 with 5:37 to play and his jumper with 1:38 left both cut Eastern Michigan's lead to three. But Groce followed both buckets with his 3-pointers.
Ishmael El-Amin pulled the Cardinals within three one last time at 64-61 on a 3-pointer of his own with 54 seconds left. But BSU turned the ball over on its next possession, and EMU's Paul Jackson sealed the game at the foul line.
EMU's Ty Groce hit two timely 3-pointers in the closing minutes to keep the Eagles (15-15, 9-8 MAC) out in front. They were his only two baskets of the game, and both came at moments when Ball State had pulled within three.
"We were helping off of (Groce) a little bit, but Tahjai (Teague) got a heck of a challenge," Ball State head coach James Whitford said. I thought we played well, and then Ty Groce stepped up and hit two big 3's."
Teague paced Ball State (15-15, 6-11 MAC) with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Tayler Persons added 13 points and K.J. Walton 10. James Thompson IV led Eastern Michigan with 20 points and 23 rebounds, collecting all but 10 of his team's 33 boards, as he became the leading rebounder in EMU history.
Ball State dropped its final road game of the regular season and will return home to close things out Friday at 7 p.m. against Northern Illinois in the fourth annual #MuncieOut game. Promotions include free parking, dollar hot dogs, and specially-priced tickets.
Tuesday's results from around the league also locked Ball State into a road game Monday night in the first round of the MAC Tournament.
The difference for Eastern Michigan on Tuesday was a 10-0 spurt during the first half. Ball State led 19-18 with 8:24 left before the break but only scored five points the remainder of the half. Thompson racked up 13 of his points and 14 of his rebounds in the first half, and the Cardinals never led again.
"Where we really cost ourselves was the 8-minute to the 4-minute mark of the first half," Whitford said. "Outside of that four minutes, I thought we played 36 minutes of good basketball."
Ball State attacked Eastern Michigan's zone defense with ball movement early and was able to get looks at the rim. The Cardinals scored 22 of their 24 first-half points in the paint and the other two at the free throw line.
EMU 49, BSU 40 (11:25, 2nd)
— Ball State Basketball (@BallStateMBB) March 6, 2019
Cards trying to cut back into this Eastern Michigan lead. Teague up to 13 points now. K.J. Walton has 6 this half as the result of ball movement like this ...#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #BSUvsEMU pic.twitter.com/hB1nm8rJbd
BSU found some range in the second half and knocked down 4-of-8 from beyond the arc, including a pair by Kyle Mallers. Persons' 3 with 5:37 to play and his jumper with 1:38 left both cut Eastern Michigan's lead to three. But Groce followed both buckets with his 3-pointers.
Ishmael El-Amin pulled the Cardinals within three one last time at 64-61 on a 3-pointer of his own with 54 seconds left. But BSU turned the ball over on its next possession, and EMU's Paul Jackson sealed the game at the foul line.
Post-game with Coach Whitford after tonight's rally fell short at Eastern Michigan ... pic.twitter.com/Jf30QEMy66
— Ball State Basketball (@BallStateMBB) March 6, 2019
Team Stats
BSU
EMU
FG%
.385
.490
3FG%
.235
.308
FT%
.708
.538
RB
38
33
TO
12
8
STL
6
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
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