(Photo: Marco Garcia, AP)
Ball State's second matchup in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic pitted it against UTEP, and BSU suffered a 71-70 defeat.
The Cardinals (6-6) had to try to find success without senior forward Kyle Mallers, who left the game in the first half due to injury, as they nearly shot worse from behind the arc than they had all season. They slowed down the Miners (9-3) by forcing turnovers, just not enough. And now coach James Whitford’s squad is in danger of sliding out of its time in Hawaii winless, only one more opportunity remaining to pick up a victory.