Box Score Final Statistics | PDF Version

MUNCIE, Ind. - Jarekious Bradley scored a game-high 26 points and Tyler Stone followed with 24 to surpass 1,000 points in his career as Southeast Missouri (2-2) came up on the short end of an 87-83 loss to Ball State (2-1) Monday night.

Bradley erupted for 17 points in the second half, but Southeast couldn't slide past the Cardinals.

In a back-and-forth game that featured nine lead changes, the Redhawks took a slight 71-69 lead on Nino Johnson's free throw with 4:10 remaining.

BSU responded with a 6-0 run to regain a four-point cushion. Chris Bond threw down a dunk and James Berry scored four points and knocked down a three-pointer to grab the Cardinals a 75-71 advantage with a little over three minutes to play.

After that, Southeast was within three points or less four times down the stretch, but couldn't get ahead.

Immediately after Bradley made two free throws to cut BSU's lead to two (75-73), Bond scored seven-straight points and capped his own jaunt with an alley-oop jam off Zavier Turner's pass.

Down 82-75 with 1:08 on the clock, Bradley wound up converting a four-point play after throwing in an off-balance three-pointer from the left corner. Franko House fouled Bradley on the play and Southeast clawed to within three (84-81) with 16 seconds on the clock.

The Cardinals answered with three free throws in the final seconds to finish off the 87-84 win.

"I told our team that I was proud of the effort," said Southeast head coach Dickey Nutt. "On the flipside, this was a winnable game and we are disappointed because these types of games are tough to get back. We have to learn from some things tonight and get ready for Friday."

BSU started slow, missing nine of its first 10 field goals of the game. Southeast capitalized on the Cardinals poor shooting and went on an 11-2 run fueled by eight-straight points from Stone.
 
The Cardinals countered with nine unanswered points and tied the game at 11-11 on Mark Alstork's dunk in transition with 12:12 remaining. The dunk was part of a seven-point swing for Alstork.
 
BSU led, 21-20, when it pieced together an 11-3 run to expand their lead to nine. The Cardinals scored all but five of their points at the charity strip in that surge, capped by Quinten Payne's two free throws with 4:34 left.
 
Southeast narrowed the Cardinals lead to four on three more occasions before going into the locker room down, 40-35. It marked the first time this season that the Redhawks trailed at halftime.
 
Starters Bradley and Antonius Cleveland picked up three fouls early and were limited to 13 and 11 minutes in the opening stanza, respectively. Southeast was also outrebounded 11-3 on the offensive glass and 28-18 overall in the game's first 20 minutes.
 
Stone scored 17 points and nearly outscored the rest of his teammates which combined for 18 in the first half. He surpassed 1,000 career points at Southeast with his basket at the 6:04 mark.

BSU came alive to shoot 58.3 percent (14-of-24) from the field and 44.4 percent (4-of-9) from three-point range in the second half.

Bond led the Cardinals with 20 points, while Turner and Berry followed with 19 apiece. Majok Majok also added a double-double 11 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.

Bradley shot 9-of-17 from the field, made two three-pointers, hit a near-perfect 6-of-7 free throws and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds en route to his third 20-point effort in four starts this season.

Stone shot 8-of-17 from the field and 6-of-8 at the free throw line, while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out three assists. He had a block and a steal, as well.

Johnson put up double-digits in the scoring column for the first time this season when he made two field goals and 8-of-9 free throws for 12 points in 19 minutes.

Southeast was outrebounded, 46-35, with the Cardinals owning a +6 margin (15-9) on the offensive end.

The Redhawks return to Cape Girardeau to host Mid-Continent Friday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., CT, at the Show Me Center.