Typically these statistics would unveil all you need to know about Thursday night's

University at Buffalo-Ball State basketball game:

UB outscored Ball State, 36-18, in the paint and 24-8 on points off turnovers. The Bulls

had 12 more second-chance points. Their bench blitzed the Cardinals' bench by better than a

two-to-one margin. They took 79 field goal attempts to Ball State's 40. The Cardinals weren't

credited with a single fast-break basket.

When that all sinks in it seems nearly impossible for the outcome to favor anyone but UB.

But, oh, how those statistics mislead.

The more meaningful numbers were found in Ball State's shooting percentage (55), its

accuracy from three-point range (9 of 11) and its advantage on the boards (44-30). Mix in UB's

woeful marksmanship from the field and suddenly it becomes comprehensible that the Cardinals

stole a 75-69 victory at Alumni Arena, extendeding the Bulls' losing streak to three games.

It was a game of contradictions. UB played solid defense, forcing 25 turnovers, producing

10 steals. And yet Ball State negated all those negatives by making 22 of 40 from the floor.

The Bulls got good looks against a team that leads the Mid-American Conference in field

goal defense. And yet the Bulls made just 29 of 79 in the extension of a shooting slump that

began with road losses at Kent State and Ohio, in which they were a combined 41 of 111 from

the floor.

"I was just saying that I don't know if I've ever seen a stat sheet that looked like this

after a game," said UB coach Reggie Witherspoon. "I've never seen anything like it. We have 79

field goal attempts and our opponent gets 40. We have six turnovers the whole game and they

turn it over 25 times. And the game ends the way it did. We looked like we didn't have enough

energy to barely get the ball to the rim."

Down by 11 with 4:48 to play, the Bulls (10-7, 3-3) made a game run, drawing within 66-65

on a Sean Smiley three with 1:35 remaining. Ball State struggled on its ensuing possession,

the shot clock nearing zero, when sophomore guard Randy Davis pulled up off the dribble and

nailed a three with 1:01 remaining. The Cardinals (10-9, 4-3) maintained at least a four-point

lead thereafter.

"There was several possessions throughout the game where the same type of thing happened,"

Smiley said. "We played solid defense for 25, 30 seconds and then just, I don't know,

something happened where somebody fell asleep or there wasn't communication."

Ball State freshman guard Jauwan Scaife led all scorers with 16 points. Davis and sophomore

forward Jarrod Jones, last season's MAC Rookie of the Year, added 14 each as Ball State's

underclassmen played well above their experience level.

"It's just great to see two young players step up in such a huge way," said Ball State

coach Billy Taylor. "It's a really young team. A lot of guys have stepped up and performed

well for us."

Max Boudreau led UB with 15 points off the bench. Smiley added 13 in a reserve role and

Rodney Pierce was limited to 10 as both were 5 of 18 from the field.

UB opened the game like a team intent on getting back to business. The Bulls forced

turnovers by springing double-teams out of their man-to-man. They made six of their first

eight shots from the field, all of them high-percentage looks and all but one from within the

arc. Taylor, sensing an ambush, called an early timeout to steady his Cardinals.

Steady they did. Two free throws by Terrence Watson gave the Cardinals their first lead at

30-29 with 1:59 left in the half. By the time intermission arrived the Ball State advantage

had expanded to 38-31. A three by Scaife, a drive by Jones and a Davis three at the buzzer was

the fuel behind the Cardinals' rapid ascent.

UB immediately takes to the road and plays at Northern Illinois at 1 p.m. Saturday.