Friday, November 24
Muncie, IN
2:00 p.m.
Ball State University
5-1,0-0MAC
92
vs
74
Arkansas - Pine Bluff
3-4,0-0SWAC
1
2
F
Ark.-Pine Bluff
46
28
74
Ball St.
40
52
92
Big Second Half and Hot Shooting Lead Cardinals to Black Friday Win
November 24, 2023 | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. – Trailing 46-40 at halftime, the Ball State men's basketball team clamped down on defense and continued an efficient offensive performance to cruise to a 92-74 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday afternoon at Worthen Arena.
The Cardinals (5-1) improved to 5-0 at home this season with the win over the Lions (3-4). Ball State won its second of two games as part of the Midwest Madness: Cardinal Classic.
Junior forwards Basheer Jihad (18 points and 11 rebounds) and Mickey Pearson Jr. (17 points and four rebounds) spearheaded the comeback for the hosts, who shot 61.1 percent (33-54) from the field for the game, including 54.5 percent (12-22) from the 3-point line. Jihad's double-double was the first of his career and the first of the season for the Cardinals, with the rebounding mark breaking his previous career-high of eight.
Ball State shot 61.5 percent (16-26) from the field in the first half but were hindered by turnovers (15 committed for the game). Pine Bluff's Joe French put up 29 points highlighted by 7 of 14 shooting from distance to give life to the visitors throughout the contest.
The key stretch of the game was a 22-7 scoring run by the Cardinals over the first 6:05 of the second half to give them a 62-53 edge, and they would lead from then on out. Davion Bailey (16 points, three assists), Jalin Anderson (15 points, eight assists) and Ben Hendriks (10 points, five rebounds) also scored in double figures for the hosts, while freshmen Mason Jones and Trent Middleton Jr. chipped in eight points each for Ball State's most efficient offensive performance of the season.
Kylen Milton (15 points) and Rashad Williams (11) supported French's scoring, but it wasn't enough for the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lions, who were bested on the boards 36-26 and limited to 30.0 (9-30) percent shooting from the field by a stingy Cardinals defense in the final period.
Ball State travels to Little Rock, Ark., to play the Trojans at 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT) on Tuesday in its second road game on the schedule.
The Cardinals (5-1) improved to 5-0 at home this season with the win over the Lions (3-4). Ball State won its second of two games as part of the Midwest Madness: Cardinal Classic.
Junior forwards Basheer Jihad (18 points and 11 rebounds) and Mickey Pearson Jr. (17 points and four rebounds) spearheaded the comeback for the hosts, who shot 61.1 percent (33-54) from the field for the game, including 54.5 percent (12-22) from the 3-point line. Jihad's double-double was the first of his career and the first of the season for the Cardinals, with the rebounding mark breaking his previous career-high of eight.
Ball State shot 61.5 percent (16-26) from the field in the first half but were hindered by turnovers (15 committed for the game). Pine Bluff's Joe French put up 29 points highlighted by 7 of 14 shooting from distance to give life to the visitors throughout the contest.
The key stretch of the game was a 22-7 scoring run by the Cardinals over the first 6:05 of the second half to give them a 62-53 edge, and they would lead from then on out. Davion Bailey (16 points, three assists), Jalin Anderson (15 points, eight assists) and Ben Hendriks (10 points, five rebounds) also scored in double figures for the hosts, while freshmen Mason Jones and Trent Middleton Jr. chipped in eight points each for Ball State's most efficient offensive performance of the season.
Kylen Milton (15 points) and Rashad Williams (11) supported French's scoring, but it wasn't enough for the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lions, who were bested on the boards 36-26 and limited to 30.0 (9-30) percent shooting from the field by a stingy Cardinals defense in the final period.
Ball State travels to Little Rock, Ark., to play the Trojans at 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT) on Tuesday in its second road game on the schedule.
Team Stats
UAPB
BSU
FG%
.424
.611
3FG%
.448
.545
FT%
.733
.636
RB
26
36
TO
12
15
STL
4
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
4
FTM
1
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
15
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballMen's Basketball // Armoni Zeigler
Wednesday, September 10
Men's Basketball // Armoni Zeigler - Heart of the Cardinal Podcast
Tuesday, September 09
Men's Basketball // Jai Anthoni Bearden
Wednesday, August 20
Men's Basketball // Jai Anthoni Bearden - Heart of the Cardinal Podcast
Wednesday, August 20