WEST LAFAYETTE - Through the first six games of the season, one of Ball State University's defensive weaknesses had come against the 3-point shot, with opponents making more than twice as many shots from the perimeter as the Cardinals.
It was a thorn that continued to sting Wednesday night, as Purdue University bombarded Ball State with 3-pointers in the second half, overcoming a two-point deficit to earn a 70-57 victory against the Cardinals.
The Boilermakers shot 10 of 24 from beyond the arc for the game, including five triples in their 25-5 second-half run.
"We certainly would like to do better [defensively] from three," Cardinals' coach Billy Taylor said. "But we are trying to limit points in the paint from our opponent while still trying to go out and contest threes. We still aren't as consistent as I would like."
For the fifth straight game, Ball State fell behind in the first half, trailing by as many as 13 points. However, with 2:58 remaining in the first frame, the Cardinals hit 10 of their next 13 shots to turn that deficit into a two-point lead early in the second half.
The Boilermakers answered with the game's decisive run.
"They executed on offense," senior guard Peyton Stovall said. "They hit some big shots and played great defense."
Stovall shined in his return to his hometown of West Lafayette, scoring a team-high 14 points and shooting three of three from beyond the arc.
"I'm very proud of Peyton Stovall for the way he played tonight," Taylor said. "This is a most difficult game to play, in that it's a homecoming game [for Stovall]. And I thought he played under control."
For the second straight game, Ball State outrebounded a taller opponent, grabbing three more boards than the Boilermakers, including a game-high eight for 5'9" Melvin Goins.
"That's a sign of improvement for our team," Taylor said.
The Cardinals' pattern of allowing games to slip away in the second half was not lost on Stovall after his team fell to 0-7.
"We're getting closer and closer," Stovall said. "We keep playing 32 minutes a game, but we need to take it to 40."
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