Wednesday, December 6
Detroit, MI
7:00 p.m.
Ball State University
7-2,0-0MAC
68
at
65
Detroit Mercy
0-9,0-2Horizon
1
2
F
Ball St.
27
41
68
Detroit Mercy
35
30
65
Cardinals Escape Detroit with 68-65 Triumph
December 06, 2023 | Men's Basketball
Ball State Took its First Lead with 1:35 to go, Won its First Road Game of the Year
DETROIT, Mich. – The Ball State men's basketball team took its first lead with 1:35 to play, and Basheer Jihad put up a 26-point, 10-rebound double-double in his homecoming to propel the Cardinals to a 68-65 win at Detroit Mercy on Wednesday night at Calihan Hall on Dick Vitale Court.
The Cardinals (7-2) trailed 35-27 at halftime and faced a deficit for 37:06 of the game but got crucial contributions from Detroit native Jihad and freshmen Mason Jones and Trent Middleton Jr. down the stretch to earn their first road victory of the season.
Trailing 56-48 at the 8:58 mark of the second half, Ball State went on a 9-2 scoring run capped off by a 3-pointer from Jones to get within one point at 58-57. Jihad would later hit back-to-back free throws to put the Cardinals up 60-59 with under two minutes to play, and the visitors would go on to salt the game away on the defensive end and at the charity stripe.
After the Titans (0-9) made two foul shots of their own, Jihad hit a driving layup out of a timeout to regain a 62-61 advantage with 1:07 to play. Middleton Jr. later skied for a rebound, got fouled and hit both free throws with 22 seconds left for a 64-61 Ball State lead, and the Cardinals clinched the decision from there.
Jihad, the reigning Mid-American Conference Co-Player of the Week, went for his second consecutive double-double and third of the year, while also tallying three blocks, setting a new career-high in scoring in front of a group of family members in attendance to cheer on the North Farmington High School product. Jones chipped in seven points, seven rebounds and two blocks, while Middleton Jr. contributed six points and three rebounds.
Mickey Pearson Jr. (15 points and seven rebounds) and Jalin Anderson (12 points, seven rebounds and five assists) joined Jihad in double figures scoring for the Cardinals, who shot 82.8 percent on free throws (24-29) to overcome 21 turnovers. Ball State went 43.2 percent (19-44) from the floor, including 30 percent (6-20) on 3-pointers while limiting Detroit Mercy to 36.4 percent (24-66) and 23.8 percent (5-21) shooting in those categories, respectively.
The Titans' senior guard Jayden Stone, who came into the game averaging 21.8 points (No. 13 in NCAA Division I), scored 18 points but on 6 of 26 shooting and 1 of 9 from distance.
Ball State is scheduled to return home to play at 2 p.m. on Sunday against SIUE in the Cardinals' final home game of the nonconference season and the 2023 calendar year.
The Cardinals (7-2) trailed 35-27 at halftime and faced a deficit for 37:06 of the game but got crucial contributions from Detroit native Jihad and freshmen Mason Jones and Trent Middleton Jr. down the stretch to earn their first road victory of the season.
Trailing 56-48 at the 8:58 mark of the second half, Ball State went on a 9-2 scoring run capped off by a 3-pointer from Jones to get within one point at 58-57. Jihad would later hit back-to-back free throws to put the Cardinals up 60-59 with under two minutes to play, and the visitors would go on to salt the game away on the defensive end and at the charity stripe.
After the Titans (0-9) made two foul shots of their own, Jihad hit a driving layup out of a timeout to regain a 62-61 advantage with 1:07 to play. Middleton Jr. later skied for a rebound, got fouled and hit both free throws with 22 seconds left for a 64-61 Ball State lead, and the Cardinals clinched the decision from there.
Jihad, the reigning Mid-American Conference Co-Player of the Week, went for his second consecutive double-double and third of the year, while also tallying three blocks, setting a new career-high in scoring in front of a group of family members in attendance to cheer on the North Farmington High School product. Jones chipped in seven points, seven rebounds and two blocks, while Middleton Jr. contributed six points and three rebounds.
Mickey Pearson Jr. (15 points and seven rebounds) and Jalin Anderson (12 points, seven rebounds and five assists) joined Jihad in double figures scoring for the Cardinals, who shot 82.8 percent on free throws (24-29) to overcome 21 turnovers. Ball State went 43.2 percent (19-44) from the floor, including 30 percent (6-20) on 3-pointers while limiting Detroit Mercy to 36.4 percent (24-66) and 23.8 percent (5-21) shooting in those categories, respectively.
The Titans' senior guard Jayden Stone, who came into the game averaging 21.8 points (No. 13 in NCAA Division I), scored 18 points but on 6 of 26 shooting and 1 of 9 from distance.
Ball State is scheduled to return home to play at 2 p.m. on Sunday against SIUE in the Cardinals' final home game of the nonconference season and the 2023 calendar year.
Team Stats
BSU
UDM
FG%
.432
.364
3FG%
.300
.238
FT%
.828
.750
RB
42
29
TO
21
10
STL
2
12
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
26
FGM
8
3FGM
1
FTM
9
Pts
15
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
6
Pts
12
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
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