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Trio helps Northern Illinois end 6-game skid with 76-66 victory over Ball State

AP
Jan 25, 2025

DEKALB, Ill. (AP) Nasir Muhammad had 19 points, James Dent Jr. and Quaran McPherson added double-doubles and Northern Illinois defeated Ball State 76-66 on Saturday night to end a six-game losing streak.

Muhammad also grabbed six rebounds for the Huskies (5-14, 1-6 Mid-American Conference). Dent and McPherson both finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

The Cardinals (9-10, 3-4) were led by Ethan Brittain-Watts, who finished with 16 points and five assists. Ball State also got 12 points, seven rebounds and two steals from Jermahri Hill. Juan Sebastian Gorosito also had 12 points.

Northern Illinois took the lead with 14:06 to go in the first half and did not give it up. The score was 40-29 at halftime, with Dent racking up 14 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

1st Half
BALL
Cardinals
29
NIU
Huskies
40

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Payton Sparks vs. Tsvet Sotirov (Mickey Pearson Jr. gains possession)
19:44		Jermahri Hill misses three point jump shot
19:42		Quaran McPherson defensive rebound
19:18		Quaran McPherson misses two point jump shot
19:16		Jeremiah Hernandez defensive rebound
18:52	+3	Juanse Gorosito makes three point jump shot (Payton Sparks assists)	3-0
18:34	+3	Nasir Muhammad makes three point jump shot	3-3
18:19		Mickey Pearson Jr. misses two point jump shot
18:17		Huskies defensive rebound
18:14		Payton Sparks personal foul
18:04		Quentin Jones misses two point jump shot
18:02		Jermahri Hill defensive rebound
17:56		James Dent Jr. shooting foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
17:56		Payton Sparks misses regular free throw 1 of 2
17:56	+1	Payton Sparks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	4-3
17:37	+3	James Dent Jr. makes three point jump shot (Tsvet Sotirov assists)	4-6
17:17		Payton Sparks misses two point jump shot
17:15		Tsvet Sotirov defensive rebound
16:57		Tsvet Sotirov misses three point jump shot
16:55		Cardinals defensive rebound
16:37		Mickey Pearson Jr. misses two point layup
16:35		Nasir Muhammad defensive rebound
16:21		Tsvet Sotirov misses three point jump shot
16:19		Jeremiah Hernandez defensive rebound
16:14		Tsvet Sotirov shooting foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
16:14	+1	Payton Sparks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	5-6
16:14		Payton Sparks misses regular free throw 2 of 2
16:14		James Dent Jr. defensive rebound
16:02		Juanse Gorosito shooting foul (James Dent Jr. draws the foul)
16:02	+1	James Dent Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	5-7
16:02	+1	James Dent Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	5-8
15:36		Ben Hendriks misses two point layup
15:34		James Dent Jr. defensive rebound
15:24		Quaran McPherson misses two point jump shot
15:22		Quaran McPherson offensive rebound
15:20		James Dent Jr. misses three point jump shot
15:18		Cardinals defensive rebound
15:18		TV timeout
14:59		Jayden Mott personal foul
14:54		Quentin Jones shooting foul (Jermahri Hill draws the foul)
14:54		Jermahri Hill misses regular free throw 1 of 2
14:54	+1	Jermahri Hill makes regular free throw 2 of 2	6-8
14:36		Quentin Jones misses two point jump shot
14:34		Payton Sparks defensive rebound
14:24	+2	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes two point jump shot (Ethan Brittain-Watts assists)	8-8
14:06	+3	Quentin Jones makes three point jump shot (James Dent Jr. assists)	8-11
13:51		Juanse Gorosito turnover (Nasir Muhammad steals)
13:51		Jermahri Hill personal foul
13:32	+3	Quaran McPherson makes three point jump shot (Quentin Jones assists)	8-14
13:01		Juanse Gorosito misses three point jump shot
12:59		Quaran McPherson defensive rebound
12:42		James Dent Jr. misses three point jump shot
12:40		Cardinals defensive rebound
12:25		Jeremiah Hernandez misses two point jump shot
12:23		Quaran McPherson defensive rebound
12:10	+2	Quaran McPherson makes two point layup	8-16
12:10		Ben Hendriks shooting foul (Quaran McPherson draws the foul)
12:10	+1	Quaran McPherson makes regular free throw 1 of 1	8-17
12:02		Tsvet Sotirov shooting foul (Ben Hendriks draws the foul)
12:02	+1	Ben Hendriks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	9-17
12:02		Ben Hendriks misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:02		Quentin Jones defensive rebound
11:35		Jayden Mott turnover (Juanse Gorosito steals)
11:25	+2	Ethan Brittain-Watts makes two point layup (Juanse Gorosito assists)	11-17
10:54		James Dent Jr. misses three point jump shot
10:52		Ethan Brittain-Watts defensive rebound
10:39		Juanse Gorosito misses three point jump shot
10:37		Quaran McPherson defensive rebound
10:14		Kailon Nicholls misses two point jump shot
10:12		Jayden Mott offensive rebound
10:01		Quentin Jones misses two point jump shot
9:59		Ben Hendriks defensive rebound
9:53		Jeremiah Hernandez misses three point jump shot
9:51		James Dent Jr. defensive rebound
9:44		Jeremiah Hernandez personal foul
9:44		TV timeout
9:35		Jayden Mott offensive foul
9:35		Jayden Mott turnover (offensive foul)
9:16		Jayden Mott shooting foul (Jermahri Hill draws the foul)
9:16		Jermahri Hill misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:16		Jermahri Hill misses regular free throw 2 of 2
9:16		Quentin Jones defensive rebound
8:59	+3	Quaran McPherson makes three point jump shot (Nasir Muhammad assists)	11-20
8:20		Payton Sparks misses two point layup
8:18		James Dent Jr. defensive rebound
8:01		Quentin Jones turnover (Jermahri Hill steals)
7:51	+2	Jermahri Hill makes two point layup	13-20
7:48		Quentin Jones misses three point jump shot
7:46		Mason Jones defensive rebound
7:33	+3	Ethan Brittain-Watts makes three point jump shot (Juanse Gorosito assists)	16-20
7:26	+2	Quentin Jones makes two point layup (Tsvet Sotirov assists)	16-22
7:07		Mason Jones misses two point jump shot
7:05		Huskies defensive rebound
7:05		TV timeout
6:55		Juanse Gorosito shooting foul (Quaran McPherson draws the foul)
6:55	+1	James Dent Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	16-23
6:55	+1	James Dent Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	16-24
6:25		Mickey Pearson Jr. misses three point jump shot
6:23		Quaran McPherson defensive rebound
6:13		Nasir Muhammad misses two point jump shot
6:13		Jayden Mott offensive rebound
6:13	+3	Quaran McPherson makes three point jump shot (Nasir Muhammad assists)	16-27
5:43	+2	Ethan Brittain-Watts makes two point jump shot (Jermahri Hill assists)	18-27
5:30	+2	Jayden Mott makes two point hook shot	18-29
5:11		Payton Sparks misses two point layup
5:09		James Dent Jr. defensive rebound
4:53		James Dent Jr. misses two point jump shot
4:51		Jermahri Hill defensive rebound
4:34	+3	Ethan Brittain-Watts makes three point jump shot (Jermahri Hill assists)	21-29
4:31	+3	James Dent Jr. makes three point jump shot (Quentin Jones assists)	21-32
4:31		Ethan Brittain-Watts shooting foul (James Dent Jr. draws the foul)
4:31	+1	James Dent Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1	21-33
4:11		Ethan Brittain-Watts misses three point jump shot
4:09		Cardinals offensive rebound
3:59		Jeremiah Hernandez misses two point layup
3:57		Nasir Muhammad defensive rebound
3:48	+3	James Dent Jr. makes three point jump shot (Nasir Muhammad assists)	21-36
3:31	+3	Jermahri Hill makes three point jump shot (Ethan Brittain-Watts assists)	24-36
3:16		Ben Hendriks personal foul (Quentin Jones draws the foul)
3:16		TV timeout
3:16	+1	Quentin Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2	24-37
3:16	+1	Quentin Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2	24-38
3:02		Mickey Pearson Jr. misses three point jump shot
3:00		Jermahri Hill offensive rebound
2:50		Jermahri Hill misses two point layup
2:48		Jayden Mott defensive rebound
2:36		Quaran McPherson misses three point jump shot
2:34		Ethan Brittain-Watts defensive rebound
2:18		Jeremiah Hernandez misses three point jump shot
2:16		Nasir Muhammad defensive rebound
2:09		Quentin Jones misses three point jump shot
2:07		James Dent Jr. offensive rebound
1:46		James Dent Jr. misses three point jump shot
1:44		Mickey Pearson Jr. defensive rebound
1:28	+2	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes two point layup (Jeremiah Hernandez assists)	26-38
1:28		Huskies 30 second timeout
1:03	+2	Quentin Jones makes two point layup	26-40
0:52	+3	Ethan Brittain-Watts makes three point jump shot	29-40
0:39		Nasir Muhammad misses three point jump shot
0:37		Quaran McPherson offensive rebound
0:26		Quentin Jones turnover (back court violation)
0:15		Jeremiah Hernandez misses two point layup
0:13		Kailon Nicholls defensive rebound
0:11		Quaran McPherson misses two point jump shot
0:09		Mickey Pearson Jr. defensive rebound
0:02		Juanse Gorosito misses three point jump shot
0:00		Huskies defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
BALL
Cardinals
37
NIU
Huskies
36

Time		Play	Score
0:00		—
19:35		Nasir Muhammad misses two point jump shot
19:33		Payton Sparks defensive rebound
19:19		Payton Sparks misses two point layup
19:17		James Dent Jr. defensive rebound
19:03	+3	Tsvet Sotirov makes three point jump shot (Nasir Muhammad assists)	29-43
18:45		Mickey Pearson Jr. misses two point jump shot
18:43		James Dent Jr. defensive rebound
18:25	+3	Nasir Muhammad makes three point jump shot (Tsvet Sotirov assists)	29-46
18:25		Cardinals 30 second timeout
18:25		TV timeout
18:14		Ethan Brittain-Watts misses three point jump shot
18:12		Quentin Jones defensive rebound
18:01		James Dent Jr. misses three point jump shot
17:59		Juanse Gorosito defensive rebound
17:43	+3	Juanse Gorosito makes three point jump shot (Mickey Pearson Jr. assists)	32-46
17:19		Quentin Jones misses two point layup
17:17		Joey Hart defensive rebound
17:16		Quaran McPherson personal foul
17:03	+3	Juanse Gorosito makes three point jump shot (Ethan Brittain-Watts assists)	35-46
16:49		Nasir Muhammad misses two point jump shot
16:47		Mickey Pearson Jr. defensive rebound
16:39		Mickey Pearson Jr. misses three point jump shot
16:37		Quaran McPherson defensive rebound
16:15	+3	Nasir Muhammad makes three point jump shot (Quentin Jones assists)	35-49
15:48		Juanse Gorosito misses three point jump shot
15:46		James Dent Jr. defensive rebound
15:36		Ethan Brittain-Watts personal foul (Quaran McPherson draws the foul)
15:36		TV timeout
15:36		Quaran McPherson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:36		Quaran McPherson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:36		Mickey Pearson Jr. defensive rebound
15:21		Juanse Gorosito turnover (Quentin Jones steals)
15:21		Quaran McPherson misses two point layup
15:19		Jermahri Hill defensive rebound
15:18		Quentin Jones personal foul
15:03		Tsvet Sotirov personal foul
14:52	+2	Jermahri Hill makes two point layup (Ethan Brittain-Watts assists)	37-49
14:32		Joey Hart personal foul
14:16	+2	James Dent Jr. makes two point layup	37-51
13:51		Juanse Gorosito misses three point jump shot
13:49		Quentin Jones defensive rebound
13:40		Quentin Jones turnover (Jermahri Hill steals)
13:40		Jermahri Hill turnover (traveling)
13:37		James Dent Jr. misses three point jump shot
13:35		Mickey Pearson Jr. defensive rebound
13:26	+2	Jermahri Hill makes two point layup (Ethan Brittain-Watts assists)	39-51
13:15	+2	Kailon Nicholls makes two point fadeaway jump shot	39-53
13:03		James Dent Jr. shooting foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
13:03		Payton Sparks misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:03	+1	Payton Sparks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	40-53
12:47		Payton Sparks personal foul
12:47		Huskies 30 second timeout
12:33		Nasir Muhammad misses two point jump shot
12:31		Jermahri Hill defensive rebound
12:24		Quentin Jones personal foul (Jermahri Hill draws the foul)
12:24		Jermahri Hill misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:24		Jermahri Hill misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:24		Nasir Muhammad defensive rebound
11:57	+3	Nasir Muhammad makes three point jump shot (James Dent Jr. assists)	40-56
11:44		Jayden Mott personal foul
11:44		TV timeout
11:36		James Dent Jr. shooting foul (Mickey Pearson Jr. draws the foul)
11:36		Mickey Pearson Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 1
11:36		Huskies defensive rebound
11:18		Joey Hart blocks James Dent Jr.'s three point jump shot
11:16		James Dent Jr. offensive rebound
11:03	+2	Quaran McPherson makes two point layup (Quentin Jones assists)	40-58
10:49		Mickey Pearson Jr. misses two point layup
10:47		Joey Hart offensive rebound
10:28	+2	Joey Hart makes two point tip layup	42-58
10:20		Quentin Jones misses two point jump shot
10:18		Tsvet Sotirov offensive rebound
10:15		Joey Hart shooting foul (Tsvet Sotirov draws the foul)
10:15		Tsvet Sotirov misses regular free throw 1 of 2
10:15	+1	Tsvet Sotirov makes regular free throw 2 of 2	42-59
9:55	+2	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes two point layup (Joey Hart assists)	44-59
9:55		Tsvet Sotirov shooting foul (Mickey Pearson Jr. draws the foul)
9:55	+1	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1	45-59
9:41	+2	Jayden Mott makes two point layup (Quentin Jones assists)	45-61
9:18	+2	Payton Sparks makes two point dunk (Joey Hart assists)	47-61
8:50		Ethan Brittain-Watts shooting foul (Quaran McPherson draws the foul)
8:50		Quaran McPherson misses regular free throw 1 of 3
8:50		Quaran McPherson misses regular free throw 2 of 3
8:50		Quaran McPherson misses regular free throw 3 of 3
8:50		Payton Sparks defensive rebound
8:33		Jayden Mott personal foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
8:33	+1	Payton Sparks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-61
8:33		Payton Sparks misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:33		Quentin Jones defensive rebound
8:20	+2	Nasir Muhammad makes two point layup	48-63
7:58	+2	Payton Sparks makes two point layup (Juanse Gorosito assists)	50-63
7:43		Jeremiah Hernandez personal foul
7:43		TV timeout
7:26	+2	Quentin Jones makes two point jump shot	50-65
7:04		Tsvet Sotirov shooting foul (Jeremiah Hernandez draws the foul)
7:04	+1	Jeremiah Hernandez makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-65
7:04	+1	Jeremiah Hernandez makes regular free throw 2 of 2	52-65
6:38		Mickey Pearson Jr. blocks Kailon Nicholls's two point jump shot
6:36		Mickey Pearson Jr. defensive rebound
6:22		Quentin Jones shooting foul (Mickey Pearson Jr. draws the foul)
6:22		Mickey Pearson Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
6:22	+1	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	53-65
5:51	+2	James Dent Jr. makes two point jump shot	53-67
5:39		Jeremiah Hernandez misses two point layup
5:37		Quaran McPherson defensive rebound
5:12		Joey Hart personal foul (Quaran McPherson draws the foul)
5:12		Quaran McPherson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:12		Quaran McPherson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
5:00		Cardinals defensive rebound
5:00	+2	Payton Sparks makes two point layup (Jermahri Hill assists)	55-67
4:34		Juanse Gorosito shooting foul (Nasir Muhammad draws the foul)
4:34	+1	Nasir Muhammad makes regular free throw 1 of 2	55-68
4:34	+1	Nasir Muhammad makes regular free throw 2 of 2	55-69
4:09		Jermahri Hill misses three point jump shot
4:07		Mickey Pearson Jr. offensive rebound
3:55		Mickey Pearson Jr. turnover (Nasir Muhammad steals)
3:40	+3	Nasir Muhammad makes three point jump shot (Quentin Jones assists)	55-72
3:24	+3	Juanse Gorosito makes three point jump shot (Payton Sparks assists)	58-72
2:57		Steven Tipton misses three point jump shot
2:55		Jermahri Hill defensive rebound
2:48		Quaran McPherson personal foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
2:48		TV timeout
2:48		Payton Sparks misses regular free throw 1 of 2
2:48	+1	Payton Sparks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	59-72
2:43		Juanse Gorosito personal foul (Quaran McPherson draws the foul)
2:43		Quaran McPherson misses regular free throw 1 of 1
2:43		Jermahri Hill defensive rebound
2:32		Juanse Gorosito misses three point jump shot
2:30		Quaran McPherson defensive rebound
2:30		Mickey Pearson Jr. personal foul (Quaran McPherson draws the foul)
2:30		Quaran McPherson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
2:30	+1	Quaran McPherson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	59-73
2:23		Mickey Pearson Jr. misses three point jump shot
2:21		Nasir Muhammad defensive rebound
2:11		Quentin Jones turnover (Ethan Brittain-Watts steals)
2:02		Mickey Pearson Jr. misses two point layup
2:00		Mickey Pearson Jr. offensive rebound
1:50	+2	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes two point tip layup	61-73
1:37		Ethan Brittain-Watts personal foul (Quaran McPherson draws the foul)
1:37	+1	Quaran McPherson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	61-74
1:37	+1	Quaran McPherson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	61-75
1:30		Nasir Muhammad personal foul (Jermahri Hill draws the foul)
1:30		Jermahri Hill misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:30	+1	Jermahri Hill makes regular free throw 2 of 2	62-75
1:21		Jermahri Hill personal foul (Quaran McPherson draws the foul)
1:21	+1	Quaran McPherson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	62-76
1:21		Quaran McPherson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
1:21		Joey Hart defensive rebound
1:14		Nasir Muhammad personal foul (Jermahri Hill draws the foul)
1:14		Jermahri Hill misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:14	+1	Jermahri Hill makes regular free throw 2 of 2	63-76
1:14		Huskies 30 second timeout
0:58		Quentin Jones misses two point dunk
0:56		Cardinals defensive rebound
0:51		TJ Burch misses two point jump shot
0:49		Cardinals offensive rebound
0:49		Joey Hart misses two point layup
0:47		Cardinals offensive rebound
0:40		Quentin Jones blocks Joey Hart's two point layup
0:38		Nasir Muhammad defensive rebound
0:15		Nasir Muhammad turnover (lost ball)
0:11	+3	Ethan Brittain-Watts makes three point jump shot (TJ Burch assists)	66-76
0:00		End of period

+ 3

Ethan Brittain-Watts makes three point jump shot (TJ Burch assists)