BOWLING GREEN -- Ball State had its second-best shooting performance of the season, including a perfect night from Dennis Trammell, but the Cardinals' subpar free-throw shooting cost them dearly in a 70-69 loss to Bowling Green at Anderson Arena.
In dropping their fourth-straight, the Cardinals (12-10, 7-7 Mid-American Conference) missed a chance to create a four-team logjam at the top of the West Division. Instead, the Falcons (15-7, 9-5) moved on top by half a game.
After getting fouled on a scramble, Anthony Kent walked to the line with 13.7 seconds left and the Cardinals trailing 67-66.
The 6-foot-11 Kent already had a career night, scoring nine points, grabbing six rebounds and adding a block in 20 minutes. He had also made his first three foul shots.
"I felt like I was really confident," Kent said, recalling the foul shots. "It felt good; it just didn't go in."
Actually neither shot went in. Terrance Chapman grabbed the rebound, but his putback attempt was blocked by BG's Steven Wright, who then saved the ball by throwing it off Chapman's leg.
After Peyton Stovall was whistled for an intentional foul following the inbounds pass, John Reimold converted a pair of free throws with 5.6 left. He was fouled again on the ensuing inbounds pass and split another pair.
That was just enough, as Skip Mills banked in a 35-footer at the buzzer.
"For some reason we thought we had to make it interesting," said Reimold, who led the Falcons with 28 points -- 14 in each half. "No doubt we were going to get that stop in the end."
The missed free throws prevented Ball State from capping off a second-half comeback from a 13-point deficit.
The Cardinals shot 56 percent (15 of 27) from the field in the second half and 53 percent overall, but they missed half of their 18 foul shots. They came in making foul shots at a 69-percent clip, just 10th in the MAC.
The Falcons led 33-27 at halftime and had their advantage up to 59-46 before BSU began its run with nine straight points. The Cards got within three twice, and after a Reimold free throw, Trammell calmly drained a three pointer from the top of the key, making 67-66 with 1:06 to go.
Chapman rebounded a miss by Josh Almanson on the other end to give BSU its last chance.
"We started getting a lot of stops," Trammell, who shot a perfect 7 of 7 from the field on his way to 21 points, said. "We picked up the tempo and showed a lot of energy and enthusiasm. That's the best basketball we've played in a while."
Ball State coach Tim Buckley said it happened too late, though.
"You can play with that kind of intensity for 12 to 14 minutes against a good team," he said. "You have to do it for 40 minutes."
Bowling Green coach Dan Dakich, however, was just relieved to come out with the victory.
"When you relax, it's hard to get it back," he said. "I felt very fortunate to win. Particularly when you have guys as talented as their perimeter. The were pulling them in, as evidenced by the last shot."
Almanson backed Reimold with 20 points, including 4-of-6 3-pointers.
Chapman finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. Stovall (6 assists) and Mills added 11 and 10 points respectively.
Despite his team's fourth loss in a row, Buckley insists his team is moving on.
"There's no wear -- mentally or physically," he said. "We don't focus on the past, whether it's good or bad."
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