ATHENS, Ohio -- After climbing out of yet another second-half deficit, Ball State couldn't pull the same trick in overtime.
Meanwhile, Ohio's Jaivon Harris had a few tricks of his own, namely long 3-pointers, that the Cardinals had no answer for. The longest one, a 30-footer from next to the hash mark with 43 seconds left in the extra session, put the Bobcats ahead for good and paved the way for an 88-84 victory.
Harris, the Bobcats' leading scorer even though he doesn't start, finished with career-highs of 26 points and seven 3-pointers to pace the Ohio's third-straight win. The team also won in overtime on Wednesday.
"I didn't plan it (to be that long)," Harris said. "I knew where (Ball State's) zone (defense) was closing in on me, and I just spotted up a little behind that."
Harris also hit two more treys from the left wing, as well as a free throw, in overtime.
"Jaivon Harris really deserves great credit for this victory, the way he played," Ohio (8-13 overall, 5-6 Mid-American Conference) coach Tim O'Shea said. "I probably would have complained that it was a bad shot had it not gone in, but I'm glad he had the confidence to take it.
"He's really embraced ... being our go-to player. He's a guy who definitely deserves all-conference consideration."
While tipping his hat to Harris, Ball State guard Matt McCollom felt the Cards (9-10, 6-5) could have made it harder for him and his teammates. Ohio knocked down 13-of-30 treys overall.
"We didn't get out on their shooters like we should have," the junior said. "They hit a couple, we didn't readjust to it, and they hit a couple more. Those were long shots, but we should've readjusted and we didn't."
Freshman Peyton Stovall, who missed two foul shots prior to Harris' bomb, pulled the Cards within 85-84 with a pair with 31.6 seconds left. After Ohio's Terren Harbut made one free throw, Stovall missed a driving shot and Robert Owens was whistled for a foul on the rebound. Two Jeff Halbert free throws with 12.4 seconds left sealed the Bobcats' win.
"Once is a fluke, twice is for real, so you've got to go out and guard him if that's what he's capable of," Ball State coach Tim Buckley said of Harris' overtime exploits. "I give our guys a lot of credit too. They really had no business getting the game to overtime, with where the game was at."
Ball State was staring at a 65-52 deficit with 6:41 remaining and Cameron Echols had just fouled out, but the Cards outscored the Bobcats 23-10 to close regulation. After a Delvar Barrett free throw made it 75-71 with 1:07 left, Dennis Trammell got a short one-hander to fall, Michael Bennett rebounded a Thomas Stephens miss, and Stovall drove in from the right wing for the tying layup with six seconds showing.
Buckley, whose team led 34-32 at halftime, wished his team didn't have to make that comeback, however.
"We did a poor job defensively in the first 15 minutes of the second half," he said. "That put us in a hole we had to scratch and claw to get out of, which I'm very proud that we did, but at the same time we have to have better energy and intensity from our defense once we come out after halftime."
Harris led six Bobcats in double-figure scoring. McCollom's 23 points paced the Cards, and he also pulled in seven rebounds. Trammell added 15, Owens and Echols 12 each and Stovall (six assists) 10. Ball State's six turnovers marked a season-low.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
