The game was very similar to . . .
Buffalo shined on both sides of the ball as UB shot 50 percent from the floor, 55.6 percent from three and 90.9 percent from the free throw line. Conversely, Ball State shot just 25.0 percent from the floor and 18.8 percent from three.
The Cardinals led by as many as seven in the first half as Ball State had a 17-10 advantage with 11:08 left. Ball State continued to lead, 30-24, with 4:45 remaining when the Bulls ended the half on a 9-2 run to take a 33-32 lead into the break. Junior Josh Mballa was again dominant against the Cardinals with 14 points and 11 boards in the first half alone.
The Bulls opened the second half on a 12-0 run as back-to-back threes from Ronaldo Segu put the UB ahead 45-32 with 17:40 left and the Bulls never looked back. UB increased the lead to 18 at 53-35 on a jumper from Jeenathan Williams with 14:29 remaining.
The Cardinals would cut the Buffalo lead down to 10, but the Bulls responded with back-to-back threes from David Nickelberry and Segu to go back up by 16. The largest lead of the night came at the end when Segu closed things out with his fifth triple of the night.
Mballa led the Bulls with 22 points, 16 rebounds, and five steals. Segu also finished with a 20-point night as he had 20 points and four assists, shooting 5-of-9 from three-point range.
Williams 15 points and eight boards, and four assists, while sophomore LaQuill Hardnett, who picked up the start, had 11 points, six boards, and three steals.
The Bulls outrebounded Ball State, 44-40, and scored 22 points off 18 Ball State turnovers.
(Courtesy of UB Athletics/MRO Edit)