ESTERO, Fla. — Jermahri Hill scored 18 points and Payton Sparks converted a three-point play with 15 seconds left as Ball State defeated Eastern Kentucky 63-61 on Monday.
Hill added seven rebounds for the Cardinals (2-4). Sparks scored 12 points while shooting 5 of 8 from the field and 2 for 4 from the line. Mickey Pearson Jr. went 5 of 11 from the field (1 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 11 points.
The Colonels (3-2) were led in scoring by Devontae Blanton, who finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds. George Kimble III added 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and six steals.
Hill scored 12 points in the first half and Ball State went into the break trailing 36-29. Pearson scored nine points in the second half.
Box score
BALL ST. (2-4)
Pearson 5-11 0-0 11, Sparks 5-8 2-4 12, Brittain-Watts 1-6 2-2 5, Gorosito 3-5 0-0 9, Hill 6-9 6-9 18, Hernandez 1-3 1-2 4, Hendriks 0-1 0-0 0, Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Burch 1-1 2-2 4, Hart 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-45 13-19 63.
E. KENTUCKY (3-2)
Blanton 10-23 2-4 23, Paul 2-2 0-2 4, Wol 1-7 2-2 5, Crawford 1-8 0-0 2, Kimble 2-12 5-6 11, Myrick 0-1 4-6 4, Holt 0-1 0-0 0, Martynov 0-1 2-4 2, Andrews 2-3 2-2 8, Buttry 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 19-61 17-26 61.
Halftime: E. Kentucky 36-29.
3-Point Goals: Ball St. 6-17 (Gorosito 3-4, Hernandez 1-2, Brittain-Watts 1-5, Pearson 1-5, Hill 0-1), E. Kentucky 6-24 (Andrews 2-3, Kimble 2-8, Blanton 1-1, Wol 1-4, Holt 0-1, Buttry 0-2, Crawford 0-5).
Fouled Out: Paul.
Rebounds: Ball St. 27 (Hill 7), E. Kentucky 41 (Blanton 11).
Assists: Ball St. 8 (Hill 4), E. Kentucky 10 (Kimble 4).
Total Fouls: Ball St. 18, E. Kentucky 16.
Attendance: 542 (7,186).