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Bulls Bounced By Ball State, 79-73

Andy Robinson

Buffalo (10-13, 2-8 MAC) got off to a great start as it jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the game’s opening five minutes. However, Ball State outscored the Bulls, 21-4, over the next seven minutes to take a seven-point lead. Ball State’s Ahmaad Cook hit back-to-back three-pointers to extend a one-point Cardinal lead to seven points late in the half. Ball State led, 36-30, at the break.

After the Cardinals extended their lead to 40-32 early in the second half, Buffalo went on a 10-2 scoring run, capped by an Andy Robinson (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady) lay-up, to tie the contest at 42. However, Ball State scored the next nine points to regain a 53-44 lead.

Ball State (8-15, 4-6 MAC) would build its lead to as large as 15 with 9:03 left. The Bulls rallied and after a three-point play by Robinson, cut the lead to 63-57 with 6:38 on the clock. Ball State rebuilt its lead to 10 points with 4:57 remaining. The Bulls had one final push left and following a 7-1 scoring run, reduced the lead to four with 4:09 left. However, that would be as close as the Bulls would get as they fell to the Cardinals by six.

Buffalo was led by Robinson who scored 14 points - all in the second half. Yassin Idbihi (Tangier, Morocco/Schloss Hagerhof) had a solid all-around performance as he tied a career high with 14 rebounds and established a new career high with five blocks to go along with 13 points and five assists. It was Idbihi’s ninth double-double of the season.

Greg Gamble (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls) and Parnell Smith (Indianapolis, IN/Pike) each chipped in with 11 points. Smith added eight rebounds.

Byron Mulkey (Wheatfield, NY/Niagara-Wheatfield) made his second straight start at point guard and added eight points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals in 38 minutes.

The Bulls shot 40.7 percent from the floor, compared to 39 percent for the Cardinals. The rebounds were even as both teams pulled down 42. UB committed 20 turnovers and Ball State was able to convert them into 25 points.

Ball State was led by Skip Mills who scored 20 points and D’Andre Peyton who added 18.

“We’re still trying to avoid mistakes,” head coach Reggie Witherspoon said. “This game has too much reaction to it to try to avoid mistakes. You have to be aggressive, but we’re still trying to avoid those mistakes.”

The Bulls will return home for the first of three straight home games, beginning on Saturday against Central Michigan. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 pm.