Monday, November 25
Estero, Fla.
Noon
Ball State University
2-4,0-0MAC
63
vs
61
Eastern Kentucky
3-2,0-0ASUN
1
2
F
Eastern Ky.
36
25
61
Ball St.
29
34
63
Photo by: Collin Maguire
Sparks' Game-Winning And-1 in Final Seconds Leads Cardinals to 63-61 Win over EKU
November 25, 2024 | Men's Basketball
Ball State Scored the Final Six Points of the Game to Take the Opener of the Gulf Coast Showcase
ESTERO, Fla. – The Ball State men's basketball team got a go-ahead and-1 from Payton Sparks with 15 seconds to play to top Eastern Kentucky 63-61 on Monday afternoon at the Gulf Coast Showcase at Hertz Arena.
The Cardinals trailed 61-57 before Mickey Pearson Jr. drained a 3-pointer from the right corner at the 1:07 mark of the second half to pull Ball State within a point. Sparks later made the left-handed layup and hit the free throw to provide for the game's final score. Jermahri Hill secured a closing rebound in the final second after the Cardinals forced an EKU miss.
Ball State (2-4) led much of the first half before the Colonels (3-2) went on a 9-0 rally late in the opening period to take a 36-29 lead into halftime. The Cardinals scored the first seven points of the second half to knot the score at 36-all, and a later 9-0 Ball State scoring run put the Cards ahead 47-43 with 12:25 left to play.
Hill went for a team-best 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks, while Sparks (12 points, four rebounds, two assists) and Pearson Jr. (11 points, five rebounds) also scored in double-figures for Ball State. Juanse Gorosito hit a trio of triples for nine points and tallied three steals. Ethan Brittain-Watts (five points), Jeremiah Hernandez (four) and TJ Burch (four) also made important offensive contributions in a tight contest.
There were 11 ties and 13 lead changes in the back-and-forth affair. Ball State outshot Eastern Kentucky, going 48.9 percent (22-45) from the field including 35.3 percent (6-17) on 3-pointers while making 68.4 percent (13-19) of its free throws. The Colonels were limited to 31.1 percent (19-61) on field goals, 25 percent (6-24) from distance and 65.4 percent (17-26) on foul shots.
Eastern Kentucky had advantages in rebounding (41-31) and turnovers (18-12) and got 23 points and 11 rebounds from Devontae Blanton, but the almost 18-point spread in field goal shooting percentage put the Cardinals over the top in the opening tilt of the showcase, which features three games in three days for six teams.
Ball State controlled the interior to the tune of a 30-20 edge on points in the paint.
Next up for the Cardinals is a game with Florida Tech at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Hertz Arena.
The Cardinals trailed 61-57 before Mickey Pearson Jr. drained a 3-pointer from the right corner at the 1:07 mark of the second half to pull Ball State within a point. Sparks later made the left-handed layup and hit the free throw to provide for the game's final score. Jermahri Hill secured a closing rebound in the final second after the Cardinals forced an EKU miss.
Ball State (2-4) led much of the first half before the Colonels (3-2) went on a 9-0 rally late in the opening period to take a 36-29 lead into halftime. The Cardinals scored the first seven points of the second half to knot the score at 36-all, and a later 9-0 Ball State scoring run put the Cards ahead 47-43 with 12:25 left to play.
Hill went for a team-best 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks, while Sparks (12 points, four rebounds, two assists) and Pearson Jr. (11 points, five rebounds) also scored in double-figures for Ball State. Juanse Gorosito hit a trio of triples for nine points and tallied three steals. Ethan Brittain-Watts (five points), Jeremiah Hernandez (four) and TJ Burch (four) also made important offensive contributions in a tight contest.
There were 11 ties and 13 lead changes in the back-and-forth affair. Ball State outshot Eastern Kentucky, going 48.9 percent (22-45) from the field including 35.3 percent (6-17) on 3-pointers while making 68.4 percent (13-19) of its free throws. The Colonels were limited to 31.1 percent (19-61) on field goals, 25 percent (6-24) from distance and 65.4 percent (17-26) on foul shots.
Eastern Kentucky had advantages in rebounding (41-31) and turnovers (18-12) and got 23 points and 11 rebounds from Devontae Blanton, but the almost 18-point spread in field goal shooting percentage put the Cardinals over the top in the opening tilt of the showcase, which features three games in three days for six teams.
Ball State controlled the interior to the tune of a 30-20 edge on points in the paint.
Next up for the Cardinals is a game with Florida Tech at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Hertz Arena.
Team Stats
EKU
BSU
FG%
.311
.489
3FG%
.250
.353
FT%
.654
.684
RB
41
31
TO
12
18
STL
13
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
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