Feb 9, 2003

Box Score

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) - Chris Williams and Matt McCollom combined for 59 points Sunday to lift Ball State to a 78-70 victory over Miami.

Williams and McCollom combined to score 24 of Ball State's (10-11; 5-6 MAC) first 28 points as the Cardinals rolled to a 28-14 lead midway through the first half.

A pair of free throws from Williams with 3:53 left in the half gave Ball State a 34-18 lead, while a jumper from Cameron Echols pushed the Cardinals' lead to 17 points at 36-19 seconds later.

Despite a 17-point first-half deficit with 3:10 left, 36-19, Miami (9-11; 7-4 MAC) went on an 8-2 run to round out the half and cut the Cardinals' halftime lead to 11, 38-27. Josh Hausfeld tossed in a layup and a three-pointer over the final three minutes of the first half for the RedHawks.

In the second half, McCollom hit a pair of jumpers, and Williams hit a three-point field goal in the opening minutes as Ball State's lead reached a game-high 18 points at 52-34 with 13:54 on the clock.

Miami responded with a 19-8 run of its own and tied the game at 62 with seven minutes to play. Juby Johnson scored 10 of Miami's 19 points during the run, and Hausfeld drilled the trey that knotted the game, 62-62.

Danny Horace led the RedHawks with 22 points. Hausfeld had 18 and Johnson added 15. Gene Seals added a career-high eight assists for the RedHawks, accounting for nearly half of Miami's assists.

Williams finished with 39 points. McCollom scored 20 points for the day, while Echols recorded his second straight double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.