MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) -- Peyton Stovall scored a career-high 29 points and Terrance Chapman chipped in with 18 points and a game-high 12 rebounds to lead Ball State to a 88-81 win over Western Michigan Saturday in the final regular-season game for both teams.
Ball State (15-12, 10-8 Mid-American Conference) held a 49-34 halftime lead before Western Michigan (18-11, 11-7) began to chip away.
One of Ben Reed's six 3-pointers with 4:42 to play cut the Cardinals' lead to 67-63. Reed led all scorers with 35 points. But Ball State responded with eight straight points to regain control.
Michael Bennett scored on a three-point play, and Julien Mills followed with his sixth 3-pointer of the game, finishing with 24 points.
Two free throws by Stovall extended Ball State's lead to 12 points with 1:32 to play, and the Cardinals hit free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
The teams went back-and-forth for much of the first half, with neither team able to build a lead larger than six points. Then with 5:25 to play in the half, Ball State went on a 15-3 run to open up a 42-28 lead.
Also scoring in double digits for Western Michigan were Levi Rost and Joe Reitz, who had 13 points each. Reitz also grabbed 11 rebounds.
