Saturday, January 6
Muncie, Ind./Worthen Arena
2 p.m.
Central Michigan University
6-8,1-1MAC
71
at
65
Ball State
8-6,0-2MAC
1
2
F
Central Mich.
31
40
71
Ball St.
29
36
65
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Men's Basketball Notches Road Win at Ball State, 71-65
1/6/2024 5:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Aidan Rubio scores a career-high 18 points off the bench, Anthony Pritchard finishes with 15 points and a game-high six assists, and Derrick Butler adds 14 points; Chippewas hit nine 3-pointers in the contest after making just four in their previous two games; and hold off Ball State in the closing seconds.
MUNCIE, Ind.—Sophomore guard Aidan Rubio came off the bench to score a career and team-high 18 points and Central Michigan built a lead with a 12-2 run midway through the second half and used toughness to hold off Ball State the rest of the way for a 71-65 road victory Saturday afternoon at Worthen Arena.
The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Chippewas, gave the visitors their first MAC victory of the year and improved CMU to 6-8 overall and 1-1 in MAC play. Ball State fell to 8-6 overall and 0-2 in the MAC. Central Michigan also improved to 6-0 this year when leading at halftime.
Ball State entered the game with a 19-2 home record combining the last two seasons and an undefeated 7-0 record this year. It marked CMU's first MAC road victory since Feb. 14, 2023, when it claimed a 77-74 win at Bowling Green.
"We played with a lot of fight, a lot of resilience, a lot of heart," Central Michigan Head Coach Tony Barbee said. "Give Ball State a lot of credit. They're a good team, one of the better teams in our league, and they're well-coached. This was the first time all year that we put it all together. When adversity hit, and it comes every game in every game and in every form, we kept swinging and stood our ground."
"This is a league this year that has a lot of parity in it. If your team is the toughest mentally, the toughest physically, the one that's able to sustain the adversity, you'll give yourselves a chance to win every game."
Central Michigan hit nine 3-pointers in the game after it combined to shoot 11 percent (4-35) over its previous two contests. Rubio served as the catalyst as he hit two 3-pointers early in the game and finished with a career-high tying four. He finished the game 4-6 from 3-point range, 6-9 from the field, added four rebounds, and came up with two key steals down the stretch in 31 minutes of action. Point guard Anthony Pritchard also made key plays down the stretch, scored 15 points (5-9 FG), dished out a game-high six assists, grabbed five rebounds, and also had two key steals. Derrick Butler finished the contest with 14 points (2-3 3FG) and grabbed six rebounds.
Brian Taylor added nine points and six rebounds and Markus Harding finished with eight points and five rebounds.
Central Michigan outscored Ball State 12-2 run over a seven-minute span to take its largest lead of the game, nine points, 46-37 with 13:02 to play. Rubio started the rally with a 3-pointer, which gave the Chippewas the lead back 34-33 with 17:44 to play. Markus Harding followed with a layup, Derrick Butler added two free throws, after BSU scored on two free throws, Rubio scored on a drive, Pritchard converted a free throw, then Rubio hit his 3-pointer on a pass from Brian Taylor and CMU led by nine points.
Rubio gave CMU a 10-point lead (48-38) on a layup off a Pritchard pass. That proved to be CMU's largest lead of the game.
But Ball State gradually came back and Central Michigan continued to keep the hosts at bay with baskets and stingy 2-3 zone defense. The Cardinals cut CMU's lead down to three (63-60) with 3:34 to play, but Pritchard answered with a layup. Ball State cut CMU's lead down to two points (67-65) on a Jihad Basheer free throw, but Rubio stole the ball and Pritchard hit two free throws to seal the victory. Overall, the Chippewas registered three steals in the last 45 seconds of the game.
"We talk winning time all the time, the last four minutes with the things you need to do to win the game," said Barbee, an Indianapolis, Ind. native who improved to 2-0 vs. Ball State in games played in Muncie, Ind. "We knew they were going to make a run, but we didn't fold, we held our ground. That's why we pulled this off."
"Who is going to be prepared to do the little things and details on game day. We have to be disciplined to play with that resilience on game day, no matter the score, to give ourselves a chance in every game."
Central Michigan led 31-29 at halftime after it hit five 3-pointers, grabbed seven offensive rebounds, and outscored Ball State 11-0 in bench scoring. The Chippewas also held Ball State to 38.1 percent first half shooting (8-21). The Chippewas took their first lead on two Brian Taylor free throws with 5:24 to play (21-19), then an Anthony Pritchard 3-pointer with 2:11 to go in the first half secured the lead and another 3-pointer from Paul McMillian IV gave the Chippewas a four-point lead.
Ball State battled back but two more McMillian free throws with six seconds left helped the Chippewas to their two point halftime lead.
Ball State was led by Davion Bailey, who finished with a game-high 21 points. Basheer Jihad registered a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, Jalin Anderson added 11 points, and Mickey Pearson scored 10 points on 10-10 free throw shooting.
Next up for Central Michigan, the Chippewas travel to Ypsilanti to play Eastern Michigan on Tuesday. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. at the George Gervin/Above Center.
The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Chippewas, gave the visitors their first MAC victory of the year and improved CMU to 6-8 overall and 1-1 in MAC play. Ball State fell to 8-6 overall and 0-2 in the MAC. Central Michigan also improved to 6-0 this year when leading at halftime.
Ball State entered the game with a 19-2 home record combining the last two seasons and an undefeated 7-0 record this year. It marked CMU's first MAC road victory since Feb. 14, 2023, when it claimed a 77-74 win at Bowling Green.
"We played with a lot of fight, a lot of resilience, a lot of heart," Central Michigan Head Coach Tony Barbee said. "Give Ball State a lot of credit. They're a good team, one of the better teams in our league, and they're well-coached. This was the first time all year that we put it all together. When adversity hit, and it comes every game in every game and in every form, we kept swinging and stood our ground."
"This is a league this year that has a lot of parity in it. If your team is the toughest mentally, the toughest physically, the one that's able to sustain the adversity, you'll give yourselves a chance to win every game."
Central Michigan hit nine 3-pointers in the game after it combined to shoot 11 percent (4-35) over its previous two contests. Rubio served as the catalyst as he hit two 3-pointers early in the game and finished with a career-high tying four. He finished the game 4-6 from 3-point range, 6-9 from the field, added four rebounds, and came up with two key steals down the stretch in 31 minutes of action. Point guard Anthony Pritchard also made key plays down the stretch, scored 15 points (5-9 FG), dished out a game-high six assists, grabbed five rebounds, and also had two key steals. Derrick Butler finished the contest with 14 points (2-3 3FG) and grabbed six rebounds.
Brian Taylor added nine points and six rebounds and Markus Harding finished with eight points and five rebounds.
Central Michigan outscored Ball State 12-2 run over a seven-minute span to take its largest lead of the game, nine points, 46-37 with 13:02 to play. Rubio started the rally with a 3-pointer, which gave the Chippewas the lead back 34-33 with 17:44 to play. Markus Harding followed with a layup, Derrick Butler added two free throws, after BSU scored on two free throws, Rubio scored on a drive, Pritchard converted a free throw, then Rubio hit his 3-pointer on a pass from Brian Taylor and CMU led by nine points.
Rubio gave CMU a 10-point lead (48-38) on a layup off a Pritchard pass. That proved to be CMU's largest lead of the game.
But Ball State gradually came back and Central Michigan continued to keep the hosts at bay with baskets and stingy 2-3 zone defense. The Cardinals cut CMU's lead down to three (63-60) with 3:34 to play, but Pritchard answered with a layup. Ball State cut CMU's lead down to two points (67-65) on a Jihad Basheer free throw, but Rubio stole the ball and Pritchard hit two free throws to seal the victory. Overall, the Chippewas registered three steals in the last 45 seconds of the game.
"We talk winning time all the time, the last four minutes with the things you need to do to win the game," said Barbee, an Indianapolis, Ind. native who improved to 2-0 vs. Ball State in games played in Muncie, Ind. "We knew they were going to make a run, but we didn't fold, we held our ground. That's why we pulled this off."
"Who is going to be prepared to do the little things and details on game day. We have to be disciplined to play with that resilience on game day, no matter the score, to give ourselves a chance in every game."
Central Michigan led 31-29 at halftime after it hit five 3-pointers, grabbed seven offensive rebounds, and outscored Ball State 11-0 in bench scoring. The Chippewas also held Ball State to 38.1 percent first half shooting (8-21). The Chippewas took their first lead on two Brian Taylor free throws with 5:24 to play (21-19), then an Anthony Pritchard 3-pointer with 2:11 to go in the first half secured the lead and another 3-pointer from Paul McMillian IV gave the Chippewas a four-point lead.
Ball State battled back but two more McMillian free throws with six seconds left helped the Chippewas to their two point halftime lead.
Ball State was led by Davion Bailey, who finished with a game-high 21 points. Basheer Jihad registered a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, Jalin Anderson added 11 points, and Mickey Pearson scored 10 points on 10-10 free throw shooting.
Next up for Central Michigan, the Chippewas travel to Ypsilanti to play Eastern Michigan on Tuesday. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. at the George Gervin/Above Center.
—CMU—
Team Stats
CMU
BSU
FG%
.436
.415
3FG%
.391
.250
FT%
.824
.806
RB
31
29
TO
9
13
STL
7
2
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
4
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG/F
/ Men's Basketball
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