Saturday, January 25
DeKalb, Ill.
4:30 PM ET / 3:30 PM CT
Ball State University
9-10,3-4MAC
66
at
76
Northern Illinois
5-14,1-6MAC
1
2
F
Ball St.
29
37
66
NIU
40
36
76
Photo by: Sam Findley/Ball State Athletics
Men's Basketball Falls at Northern Illinois
January 25, 2025 | Men's Basketball
DeKALB, Ill. – The Ball State men's basketball team couldn't overcome an efficient Northern Illinois perimeter shooting performance in a 76-66 setback to the Huskies on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
The Cardinals (9-10, 3-4 Mid-American Conference) scored the first three points of the game on a 3-pointer from Juanse Gorosito and got four triples from both Gorosito and Ethan Brittain-Watts for the game, but the Huskies (5-14, 1-6 MAC) made 8 of their 13 3-pointers in the first half to claim a 40-29 advantage at the break.
Northern Illinois hit two straight 3-pointers to start the second half and would prevent Ball State from getting within a single digit deficit the rest of the way.
Brittain-Watts scored 13 points in the opening period on his way to a team-best 16 points with five assists, while Gorosito had 12 points and three assists. Jermahri Hill (12 points, seven rebounds, three assists), Payton Sparks (11 points, three rebounds, two assists) and Mickey Pearson Jr. (10 points, eight rebounds) also scored in double figures for the visitors.
Three Huskies scored 18 or more points, and the hosts shot 43.6 percent (24-55) from the field, 48.1 percent (13-27) on 3-pointers and 57.7 percent (15-26) at the foul line for the game. Ball State went 38.6 percent (22-57) on field goals, 36 percent (9-25) from distance and 46.4 percent (13-28) on free throws.
NIU won the rebounding battle 41-36 but committed more turnovers (7-4).
The Cardinals are next set to play Western Michigan at home at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
The Cardinals (9-10, 3-4 Mid-American Conference) scored the first three points of the game on a 3-pointer from Juanse Gorosito and got four triples from both Gorosito and Ethan Brittain-Watts for the game, but the Huskies (5-14, 1-6 MAC) made 8 of their 13 3-pointers in the first half to claim a 40-29 advantage at the break.
Northern Illinois hit two straight 3-pointers to start the second half and would prevent Ball State from getting within a single digit deficit the rest of the way.
Brittain-Watts scored 13 points in the opening period on his way to a team-best 16 points with five assists, while Gorosito had 12 points and three assists. Jermahri Hill (12 points, seven rebounds, three assists), Payton Sparks (11 points, three rebounds, two assists) and Mickey Pearson Jr. (10 points, eight rebounds) also scored in double figures for the visitors.
Three Huskies scored 18 or more points, and the hosts shot 43.6 percent (24-55) from the field, 48.1 percent (13-27) on 3-pointers and 57.7 percent (15-26) at the foul line for the game. Ball State went 38.6 percent (22-57) on field goals, 36 percent (9-25) from distance and 46.4 percent (13-28) on free throws.
NIU won the rebounding battle 41-36 but committed more turnovers (7-4).
The Cardinals are next set to play Western Michigan at home at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
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Team Stats
BSU
NIU
FG%
.386
.436
3FG%
.360
.481
FT%
.464
.577
RB
36
41
TO
4
7
STL
4
3
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
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