Laster's Career-High 31 Helps Ohio Top Northern Illinois
Saturday's Scoreboard
Ohio 78, Northern Illinois 68
Buffalo 83, Ball State 63
Western Michigan 67, Miami 62
Kent State 85, Central Michigan 69
Bowling Green 75, Eastern Michigan 71
Stories Courtesy of the Associated Press
Ohio 78, Northern Illinois 68
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio -- Mike Laster had five 3-pointers and 31 points, both career highs, and Ohio used a fast start to roll to a 76-61 win over Northern Illinois on Saturday.
Teyvion Kirk added 16 points for the Bobcats (8-6, 1-1 Mid-American Conference), who led 36-22 at the half after shooting 52 percent while the Huskies were at 29 percent.
Laster scored the first four points of the game, Kirk had the next four and a 3-pointer by Jordan Dartis had Ohio up 27-10 with 8:07 left in the first half.
Northern Illinois (8-7, 1-1) had an early 10-0 run in the second half to get within six but Laster or Kirk, who combined for 27 points after the break, had an answer. Northern Illinois shot 56 percent in the second half, going 6 of 12 from distance, but Ohio shot 62 percent.
Laster was 10 of 12 from the field, 5 of 6 behind the arc, and 6 of 7 from the foul line as he converted three 3-point plays.
Dante Thorpe and Eugene German had 15 points apiece for the Huskies and Levi Bradley added 14.
Buffalo 83, Ball State 63
Box Score
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Jayvon Graves and Jeremy Harris scored 16 apiece and combined to hit seven 3-pointers as Buffalo rolled to an 83-63 win over Ball State on Saturday, snapping the Cardinals' nine-game win streak.
Nick Perkins finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds for his second straight double-double and CJ Massinburg added 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals for the Bulls (10-5, 2-0 Mid-American Conference). Wes Clark scored 10 as Buffalo hit 10 of 20 from 3-point range, including a 4-of-5 effort from the freshman Graves, whose 16 points was a career high.
Sean Sellers had 17 points and Trey Moses added 11 rebounds and three blocked shots for Ball State (10-5, 1-1). The Cardinals, the two-time defending West Division champions, shot just 36.5 percent from the floor and lost for the first time in nine home games this season.
Buffalo, the preseason pick to win the East Division, picked up its third straight win and shot 48 percent from the field against the Cardinals, who came into the game allowing just 58.8 points per contest.
Western Michigan 67, Miami 62
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio -- Bryce Moore scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half and Western Michigan beat Miami (Ohio) 67-62 on Saturday for its fourth straight victory.
Thomas Wilder added 13 points and Josh Davis scored 10 and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Broncos (10-5, 2-0 Mid-American Conference), who scored 16 points off of 13 RedHawks' turnovers.
Western Michigan trailed by 12 points early in the second half but took the lead, 57-56, amid a 21-3 run. The RedHawks got within 65-62 on Darrian Ringo's layup with 13 seconds left, but Brandon Johnson dunked it on the other end.
Miami led 33-27 at halftime after holding the Broncos to 35.5 percent shooting from the floor.
Ringo scored 14 points with 11 rebounds and Mike Sibande added 13 points for the RedHawks (8-7, 1-1).
Kent State 85, Central Michigan 69
Box Score
KENT, Ohio -- Adonis De La Rosa had career highs of 24 points and 14 rebounds and Kent State defeated Central Michigan 85-69 on Saturday.
Jaylin Walker scored 26 points on 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range -- and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line -- Kevin Zabo scored 17 points and Jaylen Avery 12 and the Golden Flashes never trailed.
Kent State (7-8, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) built a 15-4 lead as Walker made three 3s within the first five minutes. Kevin McKay made a 3-pointer and a layup, and Josh Kozinski made a pair of 3s and Central Michigan (12-3, 1-1) closed to 20-15. Zabo then scored the next 10 points for the Golden Flashes with two layups, a 3-point play and a 3-pointer.
Up 32-25, De La Rosa sparked a 14-5 run with a 3-point play and dunk sandwiched around BJ Duling's 3 and back-to-back 3s by Walker, and Kent State led 46-30 at halftime.
Central Michigan didn't get closer than eight points in the second half.
Luke Meyer led Central Michigan with 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Kozinski added 12 points and Kevin McKay scored 10.
Bowling Green 75, Eastern Michigan 71
Box Score
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Antwon Lillard had 20 points and 12 rebounds, Matt Fox added 18 points and Bowling Green defeated Eastern Michigan 75-71 in overtime on Saturday.
Neither team was able to cash in on an offensive possession in the final minute of regulation and struggled in overtime until the Falcons made four of six free throws in the last 20.2 seconds. Justin Turner made it a two-possession game by making a pair from the foul line with 20.2 seconds remaining, but after an Eastern Michigan miss Demaejeo Wiggins only made 1 of 2 with 11.7 to play for a 74-69 lead.
That allowed Tim Bond to make it a one-possession game with a layup with 6.5 seconds left with Rodrick Caldwell extending the drama by missing the first of two free throws with 4.7 to go before clinching the win.
Wiggins and Turner scored 15 apiece for the Falcons (10-5, 1-1 Mid-American Conference).
Paul Jackson had 21 points, Bond 16 and Elijah Minnie 15 for the Eagles (9-6, 1-1), who had won seven-straight at home. James Thompson IV had 14 points and 14 rebounds.
