Ball State University Athletics
Friday, January 16
Muncie, Ind.
8:30 PM
Ball State University
5-13,1-5MAC
76
vs
71
Ohio
10-9,4-3MAC
1
2
F
Ohio
31
40
71
Ball St.
44
32
76
Photo by: Heather Parker
Cardinals Lead from Start to Finish in 76-71 Win over Ohio
January 17, 2026 | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men's basketball team rode another strong performance from Armoni Zeigler and clutch free throw shooting by Devon Barnes to a 76-71 win over Ohio on Friday night at Worthen Arena.
The Cardinals got out to a 28-13 lead, took a 44-31 edge into halftime and never trailed in the contest, but the visiting Bobcats got within one point on three occasions in the final two minutes. Zeigler hit a shot with 1:07 to play to put the Ball State ahead 71-68 before an Ohio layup got the visitors back to a one-point deficit at 71-70. After the two teams traded single free throws, Barnes scored the game's last four points at the free throw line in the final 20 seconds to clinch the win for the Cardinals.
Zeigler tallied 28 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a steal a game after scoring 30 points, while Davion Hill (19 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals) and Barnes (12 points) followed in double figures for Ball State (5-13, 1-5 Mid-American Conference).
Mason Jones chipped in seven points, four rebounds and two assists, and Elmore James IV and Cam Denson had five and four points, respectively. Freshman Preston Copeland hauled in seven rebounds on the night.
Twenty of Zeigler's points were scored in the first half including a pair of free throws in the closing seconds of the opening period to give the hosts the 13-point advantage going into the locker room. Ohio (10-9, 4-3 MAC) quickly closed its deficit to six points at 46-40 to force a Ball State timeout, but the Cardinals steadied and eventually built the lead back up to 14 points on a 3-pointer from Hill with 8:26 to play for a 64-50 edge.
Aidan Hadaway and Jackson Paveletzke paced Ohio with 22 points each on a night the Bobcats were limited to 25 percent shooting (4-16) on 3-pointers.
Ball State committed two fewer turnovers (12-10), but Ohio grabbed one more rebound (31-30). The Cardinals held edges in points off turnovers (16-11) and bench points (23-0).
The hosts went 43.1 percent (22-51) from the field including 36.8 percent (7-19) from distance and 80.6 percent (25-31) at the foul line. Ohio hit 48.1 percent (26-54) of its field goal attempts and 78.9 percent (15-19) on free throws.
Next up for the Cardinals is a Tuesday night road game at Central Michigan.
The Cardinals got out to a 28-13 lead, took a 44-31 edge into halftime and never trailed in the contest, but the visiting Bobcats got within one point on three occasions in the final two minutes. Zeigler hit a shot with 1:07 to play to put the Ball State ahead 71-68 before an Ohio layup got the visitors back to a one-point deficit at 71-70. After the two teams traded single free throws, Barnes scored the game's last four points at the free throw line in the final 20 seconds to clinch the win for the Cardinals.
Zeigler tallied 28 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a steal a game after scoring 30 points, while Davion Hill (19 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals) and Barnes (12 points) followed in double figures for Ball State (5-13, 1-5 Mid-American Conference).
Mason Jones chipped in seven points, four rebounds and two assists, and Elmore James IV and Cam Denson had five and four points, respectively. Freshman Preston Copeland hauled in seven rebounds on the night.
Twenty of Zeigler's points were scored in the first half including a pair of free throws in the closing seconds of the opening period to give the hosts the 13-point advantage going into the locker room. Ohio (10-9, 4-3 MAC) quickly closed its deficit to six points at 46-40 to force a Ball State timeout, but the Cardinals steadied and eventually built the lead back up to 14 points on a 3-pointer from Hill with 8:26 to play for a 64-50 edge.
Aidan Hadaway and Jackson Paveletzke paced Ohio with 22 points each on a night the Bobcats were limited to 25 percent shooting (4-16) on 3-pointers.
Ball State committed two fewer turnovers (12-10), but Ohio grabbed one more rebound (31-30). The Cardinals held edges in points off turnovers (16-11) and bench points (23-0).
The hosts went 43.1 percent (22-51) from the field including 36.8 percent (7-19) from distance and 80.6 percent (25-31) at the foul line. Ohio hit 48.1 percent (26-54) of its field goal attempts and 78.9 percent (15-19) on free throws.
Next up for the Cardinals is a Tuesday night road game at Central Michigan.
Team Stats
Ohio
BSU
FG%
.481
.431
3FG%
.250
.368
FT%
.789
.806
RB
31
30
TO
12
10
STL
3
8
Game Leaders
Pts
28
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
12
Pts
19
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
12
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's BasketballF
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