The Ball State Cardinals came into the game 8-6 in the MAC, and in the thick of the race for a first round bye in the MAC tournament. The Eastern Michigan Eagles came in losers of 6 straight, and just trying to get some momentum before the MAC tournament.
The Eastern Michigan zone frustrated Ball State early, and Ray Lee played like a man possessed, scoring 11 of Eastern Michigan’s first 15 points. The Eagles jumped out to an early 15-11 lead at the second TV timeout, with 11:42 remaining.
After James Thompson IV made a free throw, Willie Mangum IV went on a 9-1 run, extending the lead to 13, and forcing a Ball State timeout.