The Ball State men’s basketball team’s losing streak reached four games Saturday with a 63-52 loss to Kent State at Worthen Arena.
Kent State redshirt sophomore Jimmy Hall finished with a game-high 32 points, scoring the majority of his baskets with feet of the hoop.
“I’ll watch the film, and I guarantee it’s going to make me sick,” Ball State head coach James Whitford said. “[Hall] went 14-for-17, and if he took the same shots next week he’d go 14-for-17. They weren't hard shots. He was too deep in the paint.”
With fifth-year senior and starting center Matt Kamieniecki sidelined with back spasms, the Cardinals knew they would have their hands full with Hall, who entered Saturday’s contest averaging a team-high 15 points per game.
Junior Bo Calhoun got the start for the injured Kamieniecki, his first of the season, and registered 12 points, five rebounds and a steal in a team-high 37 minutes. Calhoun and fellow big-man, sophomore Franko House, competed in the paint, but at 6-foot-6 neither were able to slow down Kent State’s inside game.
The Golden Flashes shot 51 percent from the field, compared to the Cardinals’ 42.6 percent.
House finished with 13 points and five rebounds, while also tallying a team-high four assists.
“[House] is one of our most unselfish players on the team,” Calhoun said. “We try and get him to be aggressive more, but teams continue to respect him and double team him … he’s unselfish. He’s going to look for you.”
After not playing in Wednesday’s game against Ohio due to a coach's decision, Ball State sophomore Zavier Turner played 24 minutes, registering five points and an assist.
“[Turner] had a good practice and a good attitude Friday, good practice and good attitude Saturday,” Whitford said. “I won’t share beyond that, but he did what I asked him to do and that’s what he has to do.”
With Turner, the Cardinals’ regular starting point guard, playing just over 20 minutes, Whitford was forced to rely on shooting guard Jeremiah Davis and freshman Francis Kiapway at the point. The Cardinals finished with 16 turnovers and only nine assists.
“Right now we’re playing Jeremiah [Davis] and Francis [Kiapway] at the [point guard and shooting guard positions] and those guys are not ready,” Whitford said. “Those guys just need time and reps.”
With the loss, Ball State drops to 7-10 on the season and 2-4 in Mid-American Conference play. The Cardinals will look to get back in the win column Jan. 27 in a road contest against Akron.
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