MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State was used an extended 20-0 run closing the first half and opening the second half as the Cardinals beat Eastern Illinois 75-55 on Tuesday night at Worthen Arena.
EIU wraps up non-conference play with a 2-11 record as they open Ohio Valley Conference play on Dec. 29 at Morehead State. Ball State improved to 5-6 on the year.
Ball State took an early lead in the contest before Eastern Illinois put together one of its best stretches of basketball this season.
Kashawn Charles gave EIU a 19-18 lead with 9:25 to play in the first half.
Paul Bizimana pushed EIU's lead out to five points with a pair of free throws as EIU led 31-26.
EIU had its biggest lead at 36-28 as Bizimana hit a 3-pointer with 3:04 left to play in the first half. Bizimana scored 12 of his 13 points in the opening half.
The Panthers would go scoreless for the final three minutes of the first half as Ball State closed the half on a 9-0 run to lead 37-36. Mickey Pearson scored the final five points of the half for the Cardinals with his cutting lay-up to the basket giving BSU the lead.
Ball State continued its run in the second half as they opened with an 11-0 run. Tyler Cochran had an early basket followed by a 3-pointer by Luke Bumbalough. Bumbalough was one of four BSU players in double figures scoring 13 points.
Rodolfo Bolis would get a put-back basket with 16:21 left in the game to end the Ball State run with the Cardinals leading 48-38.
Kejuan Clements scored ten of the Panthers first 12 points of the second half as he scored 17 points in his return following an injury. EIU would shoot just 28 percent from the floor in the second half after opening the game at 57 percent in the first half.
Payton Sparks led Ball State with 16 points with Miryne Thomas (14 points) and Pearson (10 points) also in double figures. Cochran had ten rebounds to lead Ball State.