Kalamazoo, Mich. - About midway through the second half, the only question left regarding the outcome of Wednesday's game between Ball State and Western Michigan was: how bad?
After falling behind 50-33 halftime score, Ball State was able to cut the margin by two before the final horn, losing 80-65.
After the game, the only thing head coach Tim Buckley could expound on was what the team was lacking.
"Pride, effort, heart, intensity, passion, enthusiasm," Buckley said.
Buckley said Western Michigan out-played Ball State in "every phase of the game."
Western Michigan propelled past Ball State with a solid first half of shooting, 72 percent from the field and 81 percent from the three-point arc.
"Basically they just made shots tonight," senior Petie Jackson said. "When you are shooting that well, it's just unreal."
Ball State, however, did not fare well from the field, shooting 43 percent for the contest.
"It was just a lack of focus," Jackson said. "The rim is still 10 feet and the ball still weighs the same. We were just thinking too much."
The leading scorer for Wednesday's game was Western's Robby Collum, who tallied 25 points shooting 3-6 from behind the three-point arc and 7-13 from the field.
"He is just playing steadily," Western Michigan head coach Robert McCullum said. "(It was) another outstanding performance. When coaches and media vote for all-conference team, he is making those decisions more difficult."
On Ball State's side of the
ball, Theron Smith fell just short of his 17th double-double, scoring 21 points and tugging down nine rebounds.
The Cardinals had only two other players in double figures - Jackson with 10 points and Chris Williams with 18.
According to McCullum, there was a big emphasis on defending against Ball State 3-pointers. The Cardinals finished with 5-22 from behind the arc, shooting only 22 percent.
The Broncos' defense also affected the outcome, as Ball State finished with 65 points. Heading into Wednesday's game, Ball State averaged 81 points a game.
"It feels awfully good standing here having beaten a quality team," McCullum said. "Defensively I thought we came out and really set the tone. Down there last month we didn't do a good job in defensive transition."
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