Kent State University
14-6,11-5MAC
Ball State University
8-11,6-8MAC
Slow Start Dooms Flashes Against Ball State
2/24/2021 4:57:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind.- Junior Malique Jacobs scored a career-best 23 points but the Kent State men's basketball team (14-6, 11-5) was unable to keep pace with Ball State, falling to the Cardinals, 90-71, on Wednesday afternoon at the Worthen Arena.
Sophomore Giovanni Santiago added 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Tervell Beck scored nine points and dished out three assists.
Ball State made nine of its first 11 shots from the field to start the contest as the Cardinals took a 10-points lead in the opening seven minutes of the game.
The Cardinals' lead hit the 20-point mark with under two minutes remaining in the first half and took a 57-31 lead into the intermission. Ball State dominated beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes, scoring 33 points from long range as they shot 11-of-16 from long range, while the Flashes only converted 2-of-11 from three point range.
Kent State was able to force nine Cardinal turnovers in the second half scoring 13 points off of Ball State's miscues. The Flashes were able to trim the Cardinals' lead to 18 with nine minutes remaining, but the Cardinals would secure the 90-71 victory.
Despite the Flashes' slow start, Kent State ended the game shooting 41.7 percent from the floor, but only connected on 20.8 percent from long range. The Cardinals shot over 50 percent for the game and made 50 percent of their three pointers.
Kent State will be back on the road on Saturday as the Flashes travel to Oxford, Ohio to take on Miami. Tip time is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
