15-6 (6-3MAC)
Ball State
7-13 (2-7MAC)
Bulls Pick Up Hard Fought Road Win At Ball State, 82-78
2/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, IN – The University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, men's basketball team snapped a three-game road losing streak on Wednesday night as the Bulls defeated Ball St., 82-78, at Worthen Arena. The win was just UB's third ever at Ball State in 12 tries. UB is now 15-6 on the year and 6-3 in MAC play, sitting in a five-way tie for first.
The Bulls led for nearly 30 minutes in the contest, but had to overcome an early deficit that began with a Ball State 7-2 run to start the game. The Cardinals continued to hold on to a 23-19 lead when the Bulls went on a 14-1 run to take a nine-point lead. UB got six points during the run from Justin Moss and the final four points from junior Rodell Wigginton. A pair of late free throws from freshman Lamonte Bearden put UB up at the break, 40-30.
UB opened the second half on an 8-3 run to take its largest lead of the game at 48-33, but then the Bulls got into foul trouble as Ball State reached the bonus prior to the first media timeout. The Cardinals crept back within four with 13:00 minutes to go, but UB answered with a 12-4 run to go back up by 12, 63-51 with 9:02 left.
Ball State pulled it back to a one possession game with 3:22 left, but UB got a huge three pointer from Xavier Ford to go back up by six. Xavier Turner hit a three for the Cardinals, but then Shannon Evans answered with a three of his own.
UB led by seven with just 25 seconds left, but five straight points from Turner pulled Ball State within two with 10 seconds left. Bearden iced the game for the Bulls though with a pair of free throws as the Bulls held on for the 82-78 win.
"I thought it was a hard fought game like most MAC road games are and it is good for us because we overcame a lot of adversity with having multiple guys in foul trouble," said head coach Bobby Hurley. "But we found a way tonight and made enough plays and Shannon Evans was really good for us."
Evans led all scorers with 25 points, his seventh 20-point game of the season. Moss added 17 points and nine rebounds, despite playing just 21 minutes due to foul trouble. Wigginton added nine points and five rebounds off the bench, while fellow junior Raheem Johnson had eight points, five rebounds and two blocks. Both were extremely efficient as Wigginton saw just 15 minutes of action and Johnson played 20 minutes.
Bearden finished with seven points, four rebounds, a game-high seven assists and a career-best five steals. Jarryn Skeete added six points and two assists, while seniors Xavier Ford and Will Regan each finished with five points. Regan added two blocks off the bench.
Ball State fell to 7-13 and 2-7 in conference play, but had five players in double figures led by 19 points from freshman Sean Sellers and 17 points from Franko House, before he fouled out.
The Bulls will remain on the road Saturday evening when they face Akron at 7:00 pm. The game will air live on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel and ESPN3.
