Ball State’s top shooters
Majok Majok:
Field goal: 60-106, 56.6 percent
Three-pointer: 0-0, 0 percent
Average points per game: 10.7
Zavier Turner:
Field goal: 57-142, 40.1 percent
Three-pointer: 34-74, 45.9 percent
Average points per game: 13.3
Chris Bond:
Field goal: 54-120, 45 percent
Three-pointers: 11-31, 35.5 percent
Average points per game: 11.5
Saturday’s 52-64 loss to Miami highlighted a key flaw in the Ball State men’s basketball team: a lack of shooting.
As a team, Ball State shot 33.3 percent from the field against Miami, down from its 40.5 percent season average.
“We are just going to have to get back in the gym and shoot,” freshman point guard Zavier Turner said. “We just have to keep shooting.”
Turner leads Ball State’s scoring. He averages 13.3 points per game, with almost seven of those points coming from three-pointers.
Second on the team in scoring is senior forward Chris Bond. Last season, Bond averaged 8.9 points per game. He’s taken on a larger scoring role this season with 11.5 points per game.
Bond has tried to extend his shooting range this season, as well. In his first three years at Ball State, Bond didn’t make or attempt a single three-pointer until this season. He connected on his first one in the season opener at Indiana State on Nov. 9. He’s now 11-of-31 from long range.
Despite his newfound range this season, opponents aren’t scared of him from deep. On Saturday, Miami would routinely guard him from deep, helping inside against senior forward Majok Majok and daring him to shoot the three-pointer.
“[Miami] took [Bond]’s guy and put him in the lane,” Ball State head coach James Whitford said. “They didn’t guard him. He’s a good enough shooter right now where, to me, that’s undeserved. … I see him every day. He’s more than a good enough shooter than you shouldn’t be able to play him that way.”
Upon receiving the ball on the wings, Bond attempted six three-pointers, a new season and career high. He made two of them.
“I got on him a couple times,” Whitford said. “I told him ‘Hey, if you’re open, shoot it.’”
The other Ball State starters against Miami, freshmen Franko House and Mark Alstork, made 0-of-7 shots from the field and contributed one total point — a House free throw.
With opposing teams not scared of Ball State’s outside shooting, they can contribute more focus on stopping Majok, one of Ball State’s biggest offensive threats.
Majok scored eight points on 3-of-4 from the field, but he had trouble receiving entry passes from his post position throughout the game, leading to turnovers.
“We have to get [the ball] to Majok,” Whitford said. “That’s a point of frustration for him and for me and for our team.”
Turner leads the team in assists with almost 3.7 per game, but it could be higher.
“When guys are open on my team, I give them the ball,” Turner said. “Sometimes when they’re open, they don’t shoot, and I get mad at them. I want to see my teammates shoot.”
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