Ball State outlasts Western Michigan 84-78

Jan 28, 2017, 03:36 pm

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Tayler Persons scored 24 points, Franko House added 18, and Ball State outlasted Western Michigan for an 84-78 win on Saturday.

Western Michigan trailed the entire second half, but Thomas Wilder twice cut the deficit to two -- first on a jumper with 4:05 left to make it 71-69, and one possession later answering House's 3-pointer at 74-72.

Tucker Haymond's jumper for the Broncos cut it to 79-76 with 59 seconds left, but the Cardinals -- the best free-throw shooting team in the Mid-American Conference -- made 5 of 6 from the line down the stretch to seal it.

Ball State (14-7, 5-3) led 44-34 at the break and by as many as 14 points in the second half. Sean Sellers' 3-pointer with 12:33 left capped an 8-0 run and gave the Cardinals a 59-45 lead. Persons was 9 of 11 from the field, and Ball State shot 58.3 percent (28 for 48) overall.

Haymond finished with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting for Western Michigan (6-14, 2-6). Wilder added 19 points.