MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- All wins may count the same, but they don't necessarily all feel the same. Both because of the situation and the challenge of the opponent.
There was a sense the Ball State men's basketball team needed this one Saturday against MAC West Division co-leader Central Michigan.
And with a focused defensive effort against one of the nation's highest-scoring teams and an efficient offense performance bolstered by K.J. Walton's career-high 24 points, the Cardinals got it.
Ball State (11-7, 2-3 MAC) dealt the Chippewas just their second home loss of the season with an 83-72 victory, winning at McGuirk Arena for the third time in the past four years.