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Payton Sparks scores 27 and Ball State beats Buffalo 89-76

AP
Feb 01, 2025

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) Payton Sparks' 27 points helped Ball State defeat Buffalo 89-76 on Saturday night.

Sparks added 14 rebounds for the Cardinals (10-11, 4-5 Mid-American Conference). Mickey Pearson Jr. scored 19 points and added seven rebounds. Jermahri Hill had 18 points and shot 6 for 15 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line.

Anquan Boldin Jr. led the way for the Bulls (7-14, 2-7) with 16 points, three steals and two blocks. Bryson Wilson also scored 16 points for Buffalo. Ryan Sabol finished with 12 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Ball State took the lead with 3:35 remaining in the first half and never looked back. The score was 45-32 at halftime, with Sparks racking up 18 points. Ball State pulled away with a 7-0 run in the second half to extend a 10-point lead to 17 points. Pearson led the way in the second half with a team-high 11 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
45
BUF
Bulls
32

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Payton Sparks vs. Ben Michaels (Cardinals gains possession)
19:40	+2	Payton Sparks makes two point layup (Ethan Brittain-Watts assists)	2-0
19:40		Tyson Dunn shooting foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
19:40		Payton Sparks misses regular free throw 1 of 1
19:40		Noah Batchelor defensive rebound
19:27		Ryan Sabol misses three point jump shot
19:25		Ben Michaels offensive rebound
19:13	+3	Tyson Dunn makes three point jump shot (Ben Michaels assists)	2-3
18:48		Jermahri Hill misses two point jump shot
18:46		Payton Sparks offensive rebound
18:42	+2	Payton Sparks makes two point layup	4-3
18:30		Anquan Boldin Jr. misses three point jump shot
18:28		Ben Michaels offensive rebound
18:25		Ben Michaels misses two point layup
18:23		Payton Sparks defensive rebound
18:14		Juanse Gorosito misses three point jump shot
18:12		Payton Sparks offensive rebound
18:08	+2	Payton Sparks makes two point layup	6-3
17:44	+2	Anquan Boldin Jr. makes two point layup	6-5
17:21		Payton Sparks turnover (lost ball) (Ryan Sabol steals)
17:06		Tyson Dunn misses three point jump shot
17:04		Noah Batchelor offensive rebound
16:48		Ryan Sabol misses three point jump shot
16:46		Noah Batchelor offensive rebound
16:45		Noah Batchelor turnover (lost ball) (Juanse Gorosito steals)
16:25		Payton Sparks misses two point layup
16:14		Anquan Boldin Jr. defensive rebound
16:14	+3	Ben Michaels makes three point jump shot (Ryan Sabol assists)	6-8
15:49		Payton Sparks misses two point layup
15:47		Ryan Sabol defensive rebound
15:23		Anquan Boldin Jr. misses three point jump shot
15:21		Payton Sparks defensive rebound
15:14		Jermahri Hill turnover (lost ball)
15:14		TV timeout
14:50	+2	Anquan Boldin Jr. makes two point layup (Ryan Sabol assists)	6-10
14:37	+2	Ben Hendriks makes two point dunk (Jermahri Hill assists)	8-10
14:14		Noah Batchelor misses three point jump shot
14:12		Ethan Brittain-Watts defensive rebound
14:06		Anquan Boldin Jr. blocks Jermahri Hill's two point layup
14:04		Kavon Bradford defensive rebound
13:48	+2	Ryan Sabol makes two point jump shot (Tim Oboh assists)	8-12
13:41		Jermahri Hill turnover (bad pass) (Anquan Boldin Jr. steals)
13:39		Jermahri Hill personal foul (Anquan Boldin Jr. draws the foul)
13:24		Ben Hendriks shooting foul (Tim Oboh draws the foul)
13:24	+1	Tim Oboh makes regular free throw 1 of 2	8-13
13:24	+1	Tim Oboh makes regular free throw 2 of 2	8-14
13:01	+2	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes two point hook shot (Ben Hendriks assists)	10-14
12:43		Noah Batchelor misses three point jump shot
12:41		Jeremiah Hernandez defensive rebound
12:31		Tim Oboh shooting foul (Ben Hendriks draws the foul)
12:31	+1	Ben Hendriks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	11-14
12:31		Ben Hendriks misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:31		Bryson Wilson defensive rebound
12:14		Mickey Pearson Jr. shooting foul (Bryson Wilson draws the foul)
12:14	+1	Bryson Wilson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	11-15
12:14	+1	Bryson Wilson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	11-16
11:54		Joey Hart misses two point layup
11:52		Omar Migues-Hibeljic defensive rebound
11:31		Omar Migues-Hibeljic misses two point jump shot
11:29		Ethan Brittain-Watts defensive rebound
11:19	+2	Payton Sparks makes two point layup (Jeremiah Hernandez assists)	13-16
11:19		Omar Migues-Hibeljic shooting foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
11:19		TV timeout
11:19		Payton Sparks misses regular free throw 1 of 1
11:19		Mason Jones offensive rebound
11:17		Mason Jones misses two point layup
11:15		Ben Michaels defensive rebound
10:55	+3	Bryson Wilson makes three point jump shot (Tyson Dunn assists)	13-19
10:25		Joey Hart misses two point layup
10:23		Bryson Wilson defensive rebound
10:15	+2	Tyson Dunn makes two point layup	13-21
9:52	+2	Payton Sparks makes two point layup (Jeremiah Hernandez assists)	15-21
9:27	+2	Anquan Boldin Jr. makes two point layup (Ryan Sabol assists)	15-23
9:27		Jeremiah Hernandez shooting foul (Anquan Boldin Jr. draws the foul)
9:27		Bulls turnover (lane violation)
9:09		Anquan Boldin Jr. blocks Payton Sparks's two point layup
9:07		Ben Michaels defensive rebound
9:01	+2	Ben Michaels makes two point dunk (Ryan Sabol assists)	15-25
9:01		Cardinals 30 second timeout
8:45	+3	Jermahri Hill makes three point jump shot (Ethan Brittain-Watts assists)	18-25
8:25		Tyson Dunn misses three point jump shot
8:23		Juanse Gorosito defensive rebound
8:03		Ethan Brittain-Watts misses three point jump shot
8:01		Mickey Pearson Jr. offensive rebound
7:53		Juanse Gorosito misses two point jump shot
7:51		Kavon Bradford defensive rebound
7:42		Payton Sparks shooting foul (Kavon Bradford draws the foul)
7:42		TV timeout
7:42	+1	Kavon Bradford makes regular free throw 1 of 2	18-26
7:33	+1	Kavon Bradford makes regular free throw 2 of 2	18-27
7:31		Jermahri Hill misses two point layup
7:31		Jermahri Hill offensive rebound
7:31	+2	Jermahri Hill makes two point layup	20-27
7:31		Ben Michaels shooting foul (Jermahri Hill draws the foul)
7:31	+1	Jermahri Hill makes regular free throw 1 of 1	21-27
7:14		Bryson Wilson misses three point jump shot
7:12		Juanse Gorosito defensive rebound
7:03		Payton Sparks misses two point layup
7:01		Payton Sparks offensive rebound
6:53	+2	Payton Sparks makes two point layup	23-27
6:42		Ben Michaels misses three point jump shot
6:40		Cardinals defensive rebound
6:11	+2	Ethan Brittain-Watts makes two point jump shot (Mickey Pearson Jr. assists)	25-27
5:57		Juanse Gorosito personal foul (Tyson Dunn draws the foul)
5:48		Tyson Dunn misses three point jump shot
5:46		Mickey Pearson Jr. defensive rebound
5:46		Noah Batchelor personal foul (Mickey Pearson Jr. draws the foul)
5:31		Jermahri Hill misses two point layup
5:29		Payton Sparks offensive rebound
5:26	+2	Payton Sparks makes two point layup	27-27
5:01	+3	Ryan Sabol makes three point jump shot (Tyson Dunn assists)	27-30
4:32		Payton Sparks misses two point layup
4:30		Payton Sparks offensive rebound
4:28	+2	Payton Sparks makes two point layup	29-30
4:09		Noah Batchelor misses two point jump shot
4:07		Mickey Pearson Jr. defensive rebound
4:01		Juanse Gorosito misses three point jump shot
3:59		Anquan Boldin Jr. defensive rebound
3:52		Ryan Sabol misses three point jump shot
3:50		Jermahri Hill defensive rebound
3:35	+3	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jermahri Hill assists)	32-30
3:15		Tyson Dunn turnover (lost ball) (Jermahri Hill steals)
3:10	+2	Jermahri Hill makes two point layup	34-30
3:08		Bulls 30 second timeout
3:08		TV timeout
2:59		Tim Oboh offensive foul
2:59		Tim Oboh turnover (offensive foul)
2:42		Jermahri Hill misses two point dunk
2:40		Cardinals offensive rebound
2:31	+2	Jermahri Hill makes two point layup	36-30
2:12		Tyson Dunn turnover (bad pass)
2:00		Ben Michaels personal foul (Jermahri Hill draws the foul)
2:00	+1	Jermahri Hill makes regular free throw 1 of 2	37-30
2:00	+1	Jermahri Hill makes regular free throw 2 of 2	38-30
1:42	+2	Ben Michaels makes two point dunk (Bryson Wilson assists)	38-32
1:25	+3	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes three point jump shot (Ethan Brittain-Watts assists)	41-32
1:00		Payton Sparks blocks Bryson Wilson's two point layup
0:58		Bulls offensive rebound
0:46		Anquan Boldin Jr. turnover
0:38		Payton Sparks misses two point layup
0:36		Payton Sparks offensive rebound
0:36		Tim Oboh shooting foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
0:36	+1	Payton Sparks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	42-32
0:36	+1	Payton Sparks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-32
0:17		Ben Michaels misses two point hook shot
0:15		Mickey Pearson Jr. defensive rebound
0:01	+2	Jeremiah Hernandez makes two point jump shot	45-32
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
BALL
Cardinals
44
BUF
Bulls
44

Time		Play	Score
19:45		Jermahri Hill turnover (bad pass) (Ben Michaels steals)
19:26	+2	Anquan Boldin Jr. makes two point layup (Tyson Dunn assists)	45-34
19:04	+2	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes two point layup (Payton Sparks assists)	47-34
18:49		Ben Michaels misses three point jump shot
18:47		Noah Batchelor offensive rebound
18:43		Ryan Sabol misses three point jump shot
18:41		Jermahri Hill defensive rebound
18:24		Ethan Brittain-Watts misses three point jump shot
18:22		Anquan Boldin Jr. defensive rebound
18:00	+3	Ryan Sabol makes three point jump shot (Ben Michaels assists)	47-37
17:39		Jermahri Hill misses three point jump shot
17:37		Ryan Sabol defensive rebound
17:27		Ryan Sabol misses three point jump shot
17:25		Cardinals defensive rebound
17:01		Ben Michaels personal foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
16:56		Juanse Gorosito misses three point jump shot
16:54		Tyson Dunn defensive rebound
16:47		Bryson Wilson turnover (lost ball) (Ethan Brittain-Watts steals)
16:42		Noah Batchelor blocks Ethan Brittain-Watts's two point layup
16:41		Cardinals offensive rebound
16:37	+2	Jermahri Hill makes two point layup (Ethan Brittain-Watts assists)	49-37
16:20	+2	Bryson Wilson makes two point layup (Tyson Dunn assists)	49-39
16:06		Anquan Boldin Jr. shooting foul (Mickey Pearson Jr. draws the foul)
16:06	+1	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	50-39
16:06	+1	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	51-39
15:56	+2	Tyson Dunn makes two point layup	51-41
15:56		Mason Jones shooting foul (Tyson Dunn draws the foul)
15:56		TV timeout
15:56	+1	Tyson Dunn makes regular free throw 1 of 1	51-42
15:41	+2	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes two point layup (Jermahri Hill assists)	53-42
15:22		Tyson Dunn misses two point layup
15:20		Mickey Pearson Jr. defensive rebound
15:02	+2	Jeremiah Hernandez makes two point jump shot	55-42
14:46		Ethan Brittain-Watts personal foul (Ryan Sabol draws the foul)
14:36		Tyson Dunn misses three point jump shot
14:34		Noah Batchelor offensive rebound
14:34		Jeremiah Hernandez personal foul (Noah Batchelor draws the foul)
14:22	+2	Bryson Wilson makes two point layup	55-44
14:14		Jermahri Hill misses three point jump shot
14:12		Ryan Sabol defensive rebound
13:52	+2	Ryan Sabol makes two point jump shot	55-46
13:19		Ethan Brittain-Watts misses three point jump shot
13:17		Mason Jones offensive rebound
13:06		Jermahri Hill turnover (lost ball) (Anquan Boldin Jr. steals)
13:02	+2	Anquan Boldin Jr. makes two point layup (Tyson Dunn assists)	55-48
13:02		Cardinals 30 second timeout
13:02		TV timeout
12:42		Bryson Wilson blocks Payton Sparks's two point layup
12:40		Cardinals offensive rebound
12:33	+3	Joey Hart makes three point jump shot (Jeremiah Hernandez assists)	58-48
12:02		Tim Oboh misses three point jump shot
12:00		Cardinals defensive rebound
11:44	+2	Payton Sparks makes two point layup (Juanse Gorosito assists)	60-48
11:30		Payton Sparks shooting foul (Ben Michaels draws the foul)
11:30		TV timeout
11:30	+1	Ben Michaels makes regular free throw 1 of 2	60-49
11:30	+1	Ben Michaels makes regular free throw 2 of 2	60-50
11:18	+2	Joey Hart makes two point layup	62-50
11:03		Ben Michaels misses three point jump shot
11:01		Ben Michaels offensive rebound
10:56		Noah Batchelor misses three point jump shot
10:54		Noah Batchelor offensive rebound
10:53		Mickey Pearson Jr. personal foul (Noah Batchelor draws the foul)
10:50		Ryan Sabol misses three point jump shot
10:48		Payton Sparks defensive rebound
10:28		Ben Michaels shooting foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
10:28	+1	Payton Sparks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	63-50
10:28	+1	Payton Sparks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	64-50
10:10		Mickey Pearson Jr. blocks Tyson Dunn's two point jump shot
10:08		Juanse Gorosito defensive rebound
9:56	+3	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jeremiah Hernandez assists)	67-50
9:46		Bulls 30 second timeout
9:41	+3	Noah Batchelor makes three point jump shot (Kavon Bradford assists)	67-53
9:27		Jeremiah Hernandez shooting foul (Noah Batchelor draws the foul)
9:20	+1	Noah Batchelor makes regular free throw 1 of 1	67-54
9:20		Anquan Boldin Jr. shooting foul (Jeremiah Hernandez draws the foul)
9:19		Jeremiah Hernandez misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:19		Jeremiah Hernandez misses regular free throw 2 of 2
9:19		Payton Sparks offensive rebound
9:15		Bryson Wilson shooting foul (Joey Hart draws the foul)
9:15	+1	Joey Hart makes regular free throw 1 of 3	68-54
9:09	+1	Joey Hart makes regular free throw 2 of 3	69-54
8:58	+1	Joey Hart makes regular free throw 3 of 3	70-54
8:53		Omar Migues-Hibeljic misses three point jump shot
8:53		Joey Hart defensive rebound
8:53		Bryson Wilson shooting foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
8:53		Payton Sparks misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:53		Payton Sparks misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:53		Payton Sparks offensive rebound
8:52		Ryan Sabol shooting foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
8:52	+1	Payton Sparks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	71-54
8:52	+1	Payton Sparks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	72-54
8:42		Tyson Dunn misses three point jump shot
8:42		Ben Michaels offensive rebound
8:42		Ben Hendriks personal foul (Ben Michaels draws the foul)
8:42	+1	Ben Michaels makes regular free throw 1 of 2	72-55
8:42	+1	Ben Michaels makes regular free throw 2 of 2	72-56
8:24		Ben Hendriks offensive foul
8:24		Ben Hendriks turnover (offensive foul)
8:16		Tyson Dunn misses two point layup
8:14		Ben Hendriks defensive rebound
8:05		Mickey Pearson Jr. misses three point jump shot
8:03		Ryan Sabol defensive rebound
7:57	+2	Ryan Sabol makes two point layup	72-58
7:30		Mickey Pearson Jr. misses two point hook shot
7:28		Ryan Sabol defensive rebound
7:19		Anquan Boldin Jr. misses three point jump shot
7:17		Jeremiah Hernandez defensive rebound
7:06		Ethan Brittain-Watts misses three point jump shot
7:04		Bulls defensive rebound
7:03		TV timeout
6:53		Tyson Dunn turnover
6:41	+2	Jermahri Hill makes two point layup	74-58
6:20		Bryson Wilson misses two point jump shot
6:18		Mickey Pearson Jr. defensive rebound
6:02		Payton Sparks misses two point layup
6:00		Anquan Boldin Jr. defensive rebound
5:56	+2	Bryson Wilson makes two point layup (Anquan Boldin Jr. assists)	74-60
5:56		Jeremiah Hernandez shooting foul (Bryson Wilson draws the foul)
5:56	+1	Bryson Wilson makes regular free throw 1 of 1	74-61
5:53		Ethan Brittain-Watts turnover (bad pass)
5:37		Anquan Boldin Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Jermahri Hill steals)
5:37		Bryson Wilson personal foul (Jermahri Hill draws the foul)
5:37	+1	Jermahri Hill makes regular free throw 1 of 2	75-61
5:37	+1	Jermahri Hill makes regular free throw 2 of 2	76-61
5:19	+2	Anquan Boldin Jr. makes two point jump shot (Tyson Dunn assists)	76-63
4:58		Noah Batchelor blocks Mickey Pearson Jr.'s two point layup
4:56		Tyson Dunn defensive rebound
4:46	+3	Bryson Wilson makes three point jump shot (Anquan Boldin Jr. assists)	76-66
4:26		Jermahri Hill misses two point dunk
4:24		Anquan Boldin Jr. defensive rebound
4:22		Juanse Gorosito shooting foul (Anquan Boldin Jr. draws the foul)
4:22	+1	Anquan Boldin Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	76-67
4:22	+1	Anquan Boldin Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	76-68
4:00		Anquan Boldin Jr. personal foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
4:00		TV timeout
4:00		Payton Sparks misses regular free throw 1 of 1
4:00		Ethan Brittain-Watts offensive rebound
3:47		Noah Batchelor personal foul (Payton Sparks draws the foul)
3:47	+1	Payton Sparks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	77-68
3:47		Payton Sparks misses regular free throw 2 of 2
3:47		Ryan Sabol defensive rebound
3:31		Tyson Dunn misses three point jump shot
3:29		Payton Sparks defensive rebound
3:08	+3	Ethan Brittain-Watts makes three point jump shot (Juanse Gorosito assists)	80-68
2:51		Anquan Boldin Jr. misses three point jump shot
2:49		Noah Batchelor offensive rebound
2:44		Bryson Wilson misses three point jump shot
2:42		Payton Sparks defensive rebound
2:19		Payton Sparks misses two point layup
2:17		Bryson Wilson defensive rebound
2:15		Tyson Dunn turnover (out of bounds)
1:55		Ethan Brittain-Watts misses three point jump shot
1:53		Kavon Bradford defensive rebound
1:47		Ethan Brittain-Watts personal foul (Kavon Bradford draws the foul)
1:47	+1	Kavon Bradford makes regular free throw 1 of 2	80-69
1:47	+1	Kavon Bradford makes regular free throw 2 of 2	80-70
1:40		Jermahri Hill misses two point layup
1:39		Payton Sparks offensive rebound
1:39	+2	Payton Sparks makes two point layup	82-70
1:39		Cardinals 30 second timeout
1:31		Tyson Dunn turnover (bad pass)
1:26		Ethan Brittain-Watts turnover (bad pass) (Anquan Boldin Jr. steals)
1:25	+2	Anquan Boldin Jr. makes two point dunk	82-72
1:25		Bulls 30 second timeout
1:23		Noah Batchelor personal foul (Ethan Brittain-Watts draws the foul)
1:23	+1	Ethan Brittain-Watts makes regular free throw 1 of 2	83-72
1:23	+1	Ethan Brittain-Watts makes regular free throw 2 of 2	84-72
1:12		Ryan Sabol misses three point jump shot
1:10		Jermahri Hill defensive rebound
1:08		Jermahri Hill turnover (traveling)
1:00	+3	Tyson Dunn makes three point jump shot (Ryan Sabol assists)	84-75
0:58		Tyson Dunn personal foul (Ethan Brittain-Watts draws the foul)
0:58	+1	Ethan Brittain-Watts makes regular free throw 1 of 2	85-75
0:58	+1	Ethan Brittain-Watts makes regular free throw 2 of 2	86-75
0:47		Tyson Dunn misses three point jump shot
0:47		Bryson Wilson offensive rebound
0:47		Jeremiah Hernandez shooting foul (Bryson Wilson draws the foul)
0:47	+1	Bryson Wilson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	86-76
0:47		Bryson Wilson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:47		Kavon Bradford offensive rebound
0:41		Ryan Sabol misses three point jump shot
0:39		Ethan Brittain-Watts defensive rebound
0:37		Kavon Bradford personal foul (Ethan Brittain-Watts draws the foul)
0:37		Ethan Brittain-Watts misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:37	+1	Ethan Brittain-Watts makes regular free throw 2 of 2	87-76
0:30		Bryson Wilson misses three point jump shot
0:28		Mickey Pearson Jr. defensive rebound
0:24		Ryan Sabol personal foul (Mickey Pearson Jr. draws the foul)
0:24	+1	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	88-76
0:24	+1	Mickey Pearson Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	89-76
0:18		Noah Batchelor misses three point jump shot
0:16		Jermahri Hill defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Jermahri Hill defensive rebound