When Northern Illinois subbed out two of its senior starters with 4:06 left, that’s when James Whitford felt he could feel safe about the game’s outcome.
Ball State’s coach had watched his team lead by as many as 18 points during the first half before going into the break up 12. He’d watched his team’s lead cut to as little as four points early in the second half before that advantage would rise again into the double digits not even two minutes later, never to be brought to nine points or less again. Yet it wasn’t until NIU pulled Eugene German, the Mid-American Conference’s leading scorer, and Noah McCarty, alongside sophomore Trendon Hankerson, that Whitford felt secure in the idea the Cardinals would win.
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BSU would take its largest lead of the day, 75-46, on a free throw just after the substitutions. But with everything that was riding on the outcome of this Friday matchup, Whitford couldn’t help but be cautious.
Because when the clock finally ran out and the scoreboard showed Ball State winning 75-54, it wasn’t just another win for Whitford and the Cardinals. It was a victory in the regular-season finale for both teams that earned BSU a share of the MAC West Division title and a bye in the conference tournament.
“We had a lot on the line tonight,” said Whitford, whose team will be the No. 3 seed in the MAC tournament. “We talk about, in big games, it’s not being different than who you’ve been it’s about being the best version of yourself. And I thought we were that tonight at every level.”
Ball State (18-13, 11-7 in MAC) hadn’t beat a team by as many or more points in a game than the 21 it defeated NIU (18-13, 11-7) by since it topped IUPUI by 48 this past December. BSU hadn’t beat a MAC opponent by as many or more points in a game since it defeated Toledo by 28 in Feb. 2018. It hadn’t beat a MAC foe on the road by as many or more points in a game since it defeated Central Michigan by 21 in Jan. 2012.
The Cardinals never trailed the Huskies. And Whitford pointed out postgame his team’s lead only dropped closer toward 20 late as he went deeper into his bench.
“We thought it was going to be a really hard game and we knew it was a game we could win,” Whitford said. “But wouldn’t have expected to win by this much, for sure.”
Ball State struggled with turnovers, committing 18 to Northern Illinois’ eight. BSU allowed 16 offensive rebounds, too, while grabbing seven itself. NIU, though, finished with four fewer points off turnovers than the Cardinals and just as many second chance points.
Ball State also shot 51.2 percent from the field and 43.5 percent on 3s, compared to Northern Illinois’ 28.1 percent mark from the field and 22.2 percent mark on 3s. And BSU had four players finish in double figures, all shooting well, while NIU had two and its leading scorer, German, go 5-for-21 from the field on his way to 17 points.
Whitford credited both El-Amin and the Cardinals’ bigs inside for stymieing German.
“This game would have reminded me of the Georgia Tech game,” said Whitford, whose team had been 2-6 on the road in MAC play this season before this matchup. “Thought we played great against Georgia Tech on the road. Played this one great on the road. Hopefully this will lead us into the conference tournament playing the same way.”
More than anything, Whitford left this game with a further impression of just how well his bench players are performing.
There was redshirt sophomore forward Miryne Thomas scoring a season-high 14 points. There was redshirt freshman guard/forward Kani Acree, who returned to the game in the second half after leaving in the first due to an awkward landing that followed a shot attempt, tallying eight points. There was redshirt senior guard Josh Thompson doing well, too.
Whitford felt his team could make runs on NIU with a variety of lineups. How Thomas, Acree and Thompson played, in his eyes, paired well with the likes of redshirt senior forward Tahjai Teague recording a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds and BSU’s starting unit doing well.
“We’re a deep team right now,” Whitford said.
And that deep team, which Whitford said before the season started was the deepest of any he’s had at Ball State, is atop the MAC West Division for the third time in his tenure.
“One of the things that you want to have is consistent success, and for us to win it three times in five years, I think it means a lot to all of us,” said Whitford, whose team has rebounded from stumbling to a 16-17 record a season ago. “And I’ll tell you, on a personal level, it means a lot to me.”
Now Ball State looks ahead to a MAC tournament that’ll start for it Thursday in Cleveland against either Kent State (19-12, 9-9) or Eastern Michigan (16-15, 6-12), teams BSU is a combined 3-0 against this season.
Whitford believes the Cardinals have shown through their wins against Georgia Tech, Northern Illinois and others that it is the capability to make a run at a MAC tournament title. He believes how connected all his players are can help Ball State reach the NCAA tournament.
“If there’s something that can really get us over the top,” said Whitford, comparing this group to past team’s he’s taken to Cleveland, “I think it’s the connection of the players and how much they’re really willing to fight for each other.”
Jordan Guskey covers Ball State and East Central Indiana high schools at the Star Press. Contact him at (765) 213-5813, jmguskey@muncie.gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
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With ‘a lot on the line,’ Ball State earns bye in MAC tournament with win against NIU - Muncie Star Press
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