Thursday night's 82-68 triumph over Ohio at home was a record book-type game for Ball State.
To kick off the record-setting, Chris Williams accomplished a goal that takes most players three or four years, becoming the 21st player in school history to score 1,000 or more points in a career.
"It's a great accomplishment, but I'm glad we won the ball game," Williams said. "I had 48 (points) this year and we didn't win the ball game, so it didn't mean much."
Buckley spoke highly of Williams, his milestone and the time frame in which he did it.
"I think it's a phenomenal accomplishment, particularly for two years," Ball State coach Tim Buckley said. "He is probably one of the greatest scorers to come through here. But that's what he does and he can do it."
Almost all of Williams' points came in the second half. The senior had only three points in the first 20 minutes, but tallied 25 in the second period for a total of 28 points. He needed 21 to surpass 1,000 points.
"They had made a little run; they were up by about six (in the second half)," Williams said, "I just didn't want to lose this ball game. We have to win these home games."
By the game's end, Ohio coach Tim O'Shea seemed impressed with Williams' second half scoring effort.
"That's what defines an average player to a good player to a great player - it's when a player can take over like that," O'Shea said. "He made some difficult shots. I can't fault my defense when a guy is making shots like that."
Williams wasn't the only player making noise in the record books Thursday night. On a smaller scale, Robert Owens had a career-best night, pulling in 10 rebounds.
"It has been a focus in practice," Owens said. "Coach wanted us perimeter guys to clean it up and just get in there and get as many as we could. That's what we did."
Owens played 39 minutes in the game, also a career high.
As a team, Ball State also had its highest field goal percentage of any half this season shooting 64.3 percent in the second half. The highest half of shooting prior to Thursday night came in the first half at Akron on Jan. 4.
For the third consecutive game, Ball State out-rebounded its opponent. The Cards pulled in 40 rebounds while Ohio captured only 28 boards.
"Not only are we getting the rebounds, but we are also getting second-chance points," Buckley said. "It is very important for us when we struggle shooting the ball from the field."
Ball State had 16 second-chance points Thursday night.
"Overall the biggest differential in the game was the rebounding advantage," O'Shea said. "This might be the most we have been out-rebounded all year. I don't think Kentucky out-rebounded us by this margin."
Ohio had one player who put up big numbers, the best of the game, in fact. Heading into Thursday's game, Brandon Hunter averaged 30 points and 15 rebounds in the Bobcats' last two games. Thursday, Hunter didn't disappoint his average.
By the final horn, the senior tallied 33 points and 13 rebounds. Hunter's has the highest rebounding average in the nation.
"Brandon is one of those guys that is going to get a lot of rebounds but we were able to hold him down on the offensive end," Buckley said.
Hunter finished the first half with no offensive rebounds and had only four for the entire game.
Ball State now moves on to host its second of three straight home games on Sunday at 2 p.m. Ball State is requesting that all fans wear white in an effort to "white out the RedHawks." In the team's first meeting this season in Millet Hall, Miami topped Ball State, 58-56.
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