Saturday, February 8
Kalamazoo, Mich.
4:30 PM ET
Ball State University
13-10,6-4MAC
64
at
68
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Western Michigan
11-12,4-6MAC
1
2
F
Ball St.
33
31
64
Western Mich.
30
38
68
Photo by: Ball State Athletics
Cardinals Can’t Stop Broncos in Tight Loss in Kalamazoo
February 08, 2020 | Men's Basketball
WMU’s 62 percent shooting performance was the best of any BSU opponent this season
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Ball State hit nine first-half 3-pointers, got an impressive offensive performance from its freshman backcourt and led for much of the second half Saturday at Western Michigan.
But the Cardinals (13-10, 6-4 MAC) simply couldn't stop the Broncos. In particular, they couldn't stop Brandon Johnson.
The powerful WMU junior post player scored 29 points to lead his team to a 68-64 victory at University Arena. He hit 12-of-14 from the floor for a Broncos squad (11-12, 4-6 MAC) that shot 62 percent as a team, by far the best against Ball State this season.
"(Brandon Johnson) was really difficult," Ball State head coach James Whitford said. "At the end of the day, we obviously couldn't stop them. We've been an elite defensive team, and we weren't an elite defensive team today."
Despite the Broncos' gaudy shooting numbers and the fact WMU attempted 20 free throws to Ball State's five, the Cardinals still managed to hold the lead in the final minutes.
Luke Bumbalough's fifth 3-pointer of the game put the Cardinals up 60-56 with 2:55 to play, but Western Michigan outscored BSU 12-4 the rest of the way. Johnson scored the first nine WMU points in that closing stretch.
Ball State had the ball trailing 67-64 as the clock ticked down, but Tahjai Teague's potential tying 3-pointer rimmed in and out.
Teague, averaging a double-double in MAC play, scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half and grabbed eight total rebounds. Bumbalough led the way with 15 points, while fellow freshman guard Jarron Coleman added 14 points to go with five assists and three steals.
The Cardinals assisted on 16 of their 24 baskets and turned the ball over only eight times. But they couldn't get stops defensively, and Western Michigan continually limited them to one look throughout the second half.
After playing six of its past eight games on the road, Ball State will return home for five of its next seven. The Cardinals will welcome MAC West Division leader Northern Illinois to Worthen Arena for a 7 p.m. tipoff Tuesday, Feb. 11. As a special "2 for $11 for 2/11" promotion, fans can buy two tickets for a total of only $11 when purchasing before 2 p.m. Tuesday.
But the Cardinals (13-10, 6-4 MAC) simply couldn't stop the Broncos. In particular, they couldn't stop Brandon Johnson.
The powerful WMU junior post player scored 29 points to lead his team to a 68-64 victory at University Arena. He hit 12-of-14 from the floor for a Broncos squad (11-12, 4-6 MAC) that shot 62 percent as a team, by far the best against Ball State this season.
"(Brandon Johnson) was really difficult," Ball State head coach James Whitford said. "At the end of the day, we obviously couldn't stop them. We've been an elite defensive team, and we weren't an elite defensive team today."
Despite the Broncos' gaudy shooting numbers and the fact WMU attempted 20 free throws to Ball State's five, the Cardinals still managed to hold the lead in the final minutes.
Luke Bumbalough's fifth 3-pointer of the game put the Cardinals up 60-56 with 2:55 to play, but Western Michigan outscored BSU 12-4 the rest of the way. Johnson scored the first nine WMU points in that closing stretch.
Look at that ball movement.
— Ball State Basketball (@BallStateMBB) February 8, 2020
From down 4 to up 4. Luke with his fifth 3-ball of the afternoon.#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #BSUvsWMU pic.twitter.com/us9AEmN4Tw
Ball State had the ball trailing 67-64 as the clock ticked down, but Tahjai Teague's potential tying 3-pointer rimmed in and out.
Teague, averaging a double-double in MAC play, scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half and grabbed eight total rebounds. Bumbalough led the way with 15 points, while fellow freshman guard Jarron Coleman added 14 points to go with five assists and three steals.
The Cardinals assisted on 16 of their 24 baskets and turned the ball over only eight times. But they couldn't get stops defensively, and Western Michigan continually limited them to one look throughout the second half.
After playing six of its past eight games on the road, Ball State will return home for five of its next seven. The Cardinals will welcome MAC West Division leader Northern Illinois to Worthen Arena for a 7 p.m. tipoff Tuesday, Feb. 11. As a special "2 for $11 for 2/11" promotion, fans can buy two tickets for a total of only $11 when purchasing before 2 p.m. Tuesday.
It was a 3? party in the opening 20 minutes. Second half about to begin in Kalamazoo.
— Ball State Basketball (@BallStateMBB) February 8, 2020
?? https://t.co/Krm23zocpG
?? https://t.co/xrvNx7zlu7#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #BSUvsWMU pic.twitter.com/5DZq3XPnl0
Team Stats
BSU
WMU
FG%
.414
.619
3FG%
.444
.333
FT%
.800
.650
RB
23
32
TO
8
14
STL
5
2
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
5
FTM
0
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
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