Chippewas Fall to Ball State

Saturday, January 19

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

4:30 p.m. ET

Central Michigan University

Ball State

Photo by: Allissa Rusco

1/19/2019 8:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Rob Montgomery leads CMU with 19 points and 7 rebounds

By: Mitch Vosburg, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- Junior forward Rob Montgomery's 19 points were not enough as Central Michigan fell to Ball State, 83-72, Saturday in McGuirk Arena.

The Chippewas drop to 14-4 overall and 3-2 in Mid-American Conference action. The Cardinals improve to to 11-7 (2-3 MAC).

"Our energy and focus wasn't there at the start, and it goes back to how we practiced and prepared for the game," said senior guard Shawn Roundtree Jr. "We didn't have our best practices, so there was a lack of focus and energy."

Central Michigan head coach Keno Davis is confident in CMU's ability to bounce back after Saturday's outcome.

"It could be a weekly occurrence with different teams that you have yell at them or get them motivated," Davis said. "After this loss, it's not going to take me yelling at them or motivating them, they're pretty self motivated. This one's going to hurt, but hopefully this one make us better."

HOW IT HAPPENED
CMU trailed by six points at the break but started the second half by outscoring Ball State 23-10 through the first eight-plus minutes. The run opened up a five-point advantage finalized by a Dallas Morgan 3-pointer with 11:39 remaining.

The Cardinals responded with a 9-0 run to build a 64-58 lead with 8:41 remaining. Montgomery's second 3-pointer of the game cut Ball State's lead to three but an 11-1 run gave the visitors a 75-62 advantage with 3:44 left to play.

CMU cut the deficit to nine with 2:20 remaining but could not catch the Cardinals, which shot 57 percent from the floor.

LEADERS
Montgomery's 19 points and seven rebounds lead the Chippewas in both categories while finishing 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.

Larry Austin Jr. scored 15 points to go with eight assists and three steals.

Roundtree scored 16 points, finishing a flawless 8-of-8 from the free throw line.

STILL ATOP THE WEST
Despite Saturday's loss the Chippewas remain tied for first place in the MAC West Division with Northern Illinois and Toledo at 3-2. NIU fell 78-68 at Kent State Saturday while the Rockets defeated Ohio 75-52 Friday.

NEXT
The Chippewas travel to Akron for their second meeting with the Zips at 7 p.m. Tuesday. CMU defeated Akron 88-86 in overtime in McGuirk Arena on January 8.