Defense shines as Ball St. beats E. Michigan 61-43
YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — Tahjai Teague recorded 15 points as Ball St. topped Eastern Michigan 61-43 in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tourney on Monday night. Ishmael El-Amin added 12 points for the Cardinals, who held the Eagles to 29.4 percent shooting, the lowest mark of the season for a Ball St. opponent.
Tayler Persons had 12 points and six rebounds for Ball St. (16-16). K.J. Walton added eight rebounds.
Ball St. entered halftime trailing 29-23, but the Cardinals were able to outscore the Eagles 38-14 in the second half to pull away for the victory. The Eagles' 14 points in the second half marked a season low for the team.
Paul Jackson had 12 points for the Eagles (15-17). Kevin McAdoo added 11 points. James Thompson IV had nine rebounds.
Elijah Minnie, the Eagles' second leading scorer coming into the contest at 14 points per game, scored 6 points (2 of 10).
