EDWARDSVILLE – Collinsville grad Ray’Sean Taylor and Ring Malith both recorded 20-point games to lead SIUE men’s basketball to an 82-69 comeback win over Ball State Sunday afternoon at First Community Arena.
SIUE improved to 6-4 on the year and 3-1 at home. Ball State dropped to 3-6.
The first half featured 11 lead changes as the matchup went back and forth early on.
Ball State took a 24-21 lead on a Juanse Gorosito three-pointer. The Cardinals would extend thier lead to 12 thanks to a 13-2 run.
SIUE would fight back to narrow the deficit to eight late in the first half. A Ray’Sean Taylor three made it 41-37 Ball State with a minute to play in the opening half.
SIUE trailed 41-39 at halftime.
SIUE came out of the locker room on fire taking the lead on a Ring Malith three which made it 45-44 with 18:27 left.
SIUE and Ball State traded the lead, but SIUE took the lead for good on a pair of free throws made by Ring Malith at 8:33.
The Cougars would run away with the game at the end closing on a 12-1 run as Ball State finished 1 of 9 from the field down the stretch.
Ray’Sean Taylor led all scorers with 27 points, including 20 second-half points. The Graduate Senior added four rebounds and three assists.
Ray’Sean Taylor’s 27 points moved him into fourth all-time in scoring at SIUE with 1,483 points, passing Mark Yelovich who scored 1,467 career points.
Ring Malith recorded his second career double-double with a career-high 24 points and 10 rebounds.
Arnas Sakenis pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds to go along with six points in 26 minutes of play.
SIUE shot 28 of 57 (49 percent) from the field and 11 of 24 (46 percent) from three-point range.
Ball State connected on 27 of 63 (43 percent) shots from the field and 35 percent (8-23) from behind the three-point arc.
The Cougars converted 15 points on 22 attempts from the free throw line.
Ball State recorded 14 total assists to the Cougars 11. SIUE outrebounded the Cardinals 42 to 27.
SIUE stays home to host Division III Eureka College on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
