The growing pains continue to follow Ball State.
The men's basketball team finally stayed close to an opponent until the very end Saturday, when free throws and poor shot selection overcame the young squad.
Ball State made significant improvements in its fourth game of the conference season, but Miami prevailed in the closing minute by taking advantage of Ball State's mistakes and winning 59-55.
In its previous three Mid-American Conference games, Ball State has gone on long scoring droughts while letting its opponent run away with the game. Against Miami, however, the Cardinals played sound ball, turning the ball over only six times and showing patience on both ends of the ball.
The Cardinals came up short when missed free throws down the stretch mounted against them and Miami's William Hatcher made four free throws in the final 24 seconds to keep Ball State at bay.Coach Tim Buckley said Miami's experience helped them in the end.
"Playing teams like Miami that don't beat themselves makes it very difficult," Buckley said. "There were a couple of times where we made the play the didn't need to be made. That's a learning process."
Miami (8-5 overall, 5-0 MAC) and the Cards were close for most of the game with both teams sharing the lead back-and-forth. Ball State (4-8 overall, 0-4 MAC) had the chance to tie the game with 1:11 remaining but junior Skip Mills' jumper was blocked in the middle of the lane.
Miami went on a fast break to the other end when freshman Maurice Acker committed an intentional foul, giving Miami two free throws and ball possession. Although they couldn't cut the lead any closer, Mills said he senses a great deal of improvement with the team.
"We fought back so it wasn't like we just rolled over," said Mills, who finished with 14 points. "Everyone's coming along and we're seeing progress everyday."
Buckley gave heavy minutes to his starting five, which include junior Charles Bass for the first time in two games, and reserve junior Chris Ames. Only two other players saw playing time off the bench and Buckley said he's looking for some consistency in scoring from his bench players.
"Being a young and inexperienced team, sometimes you're just searching," Buckley said. "Basing it off of one practice and the Kent State game, we felt like those we the guys we were going to play."
Junior D'Andre Peyton led the team with 17 points while Acker added 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting.
LIGHTS OUTDelays were frequent throughout the first half and five minutes into the second half. The scoreboards at Worthen Arena had technical problems and turned on and off during play.
Referees had to suspend play several times because players could not see the shot clock.
The second half started with the clock turned off and the arena announcer telling the crowd and players when 20 seconds was left on the shot clock and how much time was left in the game.
Miami coach Charlie Coles said the malfunctioning scoredboard was not a distraction for either team.
"We told our guys early on that we're going to play or we ain't going to play," Coles said. "You can't let things like that distract you."
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