Ball State Cardinals @ North Florida Ospreys
| 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|
BALL | 46 | 27 | 73 |
| 23 | 45 | 68 |
Kiapway's trey lifts Ball State past North Florida, 73-68
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Francis Kiapway hit a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left and added a free throw in the closing seconds to allow Ball State to escape North Florida with a 73-68 victory and its fifth straight win Thursday night.
Taylor Persons' jumper with 1:31 left gave the Cardinals a 69-63 lead, but North Florida closed the gap with a 3-pointer by Chris Davenport and a layup by Dallas Moore that made it 69-68 with 43 seconds to play.
Persons and Kiapway each knocked down three treys to spark Ball State (8-4) in its final nonconference game, the first meeting between the schools. The Cardinals open Mid-American Conference play Tuesday at Kent State.
Persons finished with 16 points to lead Ball State.
Moore scored 29 points to pace North Florida (4-11).
North Florida closes out its nonconference slate Monday against Palm Beach Atlantic and opens Atlantic Sun play Saturday against Jacksonville.
Game Information
Jacksonville, FL
Referee:Rick Crawford
Referee:Keith Patterson
Referee:Shane Land
2025-26 Standings
| Mid-American Conference | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami (OH) | 18-0 | - | 32-2 |
| Akron | 17-1 | 1 | 29-6 |
| Kent State | 14-4 | 4 | 24-10 |
| Toledo | 11-7 | 7 | 19-15 |
| Bowling Green | 9-9 | 9 | 18-14 |
| Ohio | 9-9 | 9 | 15-17 |
| Buffalo | 7-11 | 11 | 17-15 |
| Massachusetts | 7-11 | 11 | 17-16 |
| Ball State | 7-11 | 11 | 12-19 |
| Central Michigan | 6-12 | 12 | 10-21 |
| Western Michigan | 4-14 | 14 | 10-21 |
| Eastern Michigan | 4-14 | 14 | 10-21 |
| Northern Illinois | 4-14 | 14 | 9-21 |
| Atlantic Sun Conference | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Peay | 15-3 | - | 22-9 |
| Central Arkansas | 15-3 | - | 22-12 |
| Queens University | 13-5 | 2 | 21-14 |
| Lipscomb | 12-6 | 3 | 19-13 |
| Florida Gulf Coast | 8-10 | 7 | 16-18 |
| West Georgia | 8-10 | 7 | 15-17 |
| Bellarmine | 7-11 | 8 | 13-19 |
| Jacksonville | 7-11 | 8 | 12-20 |
| Stetson | 7-11 | 8 | 12-21 |
| Eastern Kentucky | 7-11 | 8 | 11-21 |
| North Florida | 5-13 | 10 | 7-25 |
| North Alabama | 4-14 | 11 | 9-21 |
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