Ball State outlasts Akron, red-hot Ivey 111-106, 2OT (Jan 27, 2018)
MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) Tayler Persons and Tahjai Teague each scored 26 points, Trey Moses poked the ball away from Akron's red-hot Jimond Ivey with four seconds left and Ball State held on for a wild, 111-106 double overtime victory on Saturday, its first series win against Akron since 2004.
Ivey scored a career-high and stadium-record 48 points, breaking the previous Worthen Arena scoring record of 41 set by Bonzi Wells and Earl Boykins, both of whom went on to careers in the NBA.
He scored back-to-back 3-pointers to bring Akron back in regulation, drained a seemingly laser -guided 25-footer that banged through off the back of the rim as the buzzer sounded to tie at the end of the first overtime. Ivey scored a 3 and a layup back-to-back to bring Akron from six points down to 107-106 with 26 seconds left in the second OT.
Ishmael El-Amin scored four of his seven points in the second overtime, including a layup that pushed the Ball State lead to 109-106 with nine seconds left. Ivey didn't get the chance for a second miracle shot however, tightly double-teamed just past half court and losing the ball out of bounds as Moses poked it free.
Neither team led by more than eight in a battle that went through 17 ties and 12 lead changes.
Moses scored 22 points with 11 rebounds for the Cardinals (13-8, 4-4 Mid-American Conference), Kyle Mallers added 18 and Sean Sellers 10. Teague pulled down 12 rebounds.
Malcolm Duvivier scored 22 points and Daniel Utomi 11 before each fouled out. Virshon Cotton scored 13 points.
