DeKalb, IL (Sports Network) - Jauwan Scaife recorded a game-high 23 points as
the Ball State Cardinals held on to defeat the Northern Illinois Huskies,
56-52, in Mid-American Conference play at the NIU Convocation Center.
Marcus Posley contributed 10 points and three boards for the Cardinals (10-13,
4-7 MAC). Majok Majok was three points shy of a double-double with 10 boards.
Chris Bond added nine points and seven rebounds as Ball State won a second
consecutive game.
For the Huskies (5-18, 3-8), Antone Christian scored a team-high 14 points off
the bench. Darrell Bowie recorded 11 points and four rebounds as NIU lost a
fourth game in a row.
Ball State knocked down 10-of-21 from the floor including three 3-pointers in
the first half and held NIU to a mere 7-of-26 effort from the field, en route
to a 28-25 lead at the break.
The second half featured six ties and four lead changes. Both the final tie
and lead change occurred on a trip to the free-throw line for Bond who knocked
down a pair of shots to push Ball State ahead, 46-45 with 3:16 to go. The
Cardinals then went 9-of-12 from the charity stripe in the last two minutes
to keep the Huskies at bay.
Ball State shot just 36.4 percent from the floor including a mere 4-of-22
from long range but NIU committed 24 personal fouls and the Cardinals
converted 20-of-26 attempts from the free-throw line. The Huskies shot 34.7
percent in the game.
GAME NOTES:
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