MUNCIE, Ind. — All good things must come to an end.
For Ball State men's basketball, it's seven-game winning streak and 2-0 start to Mid-American Conference play concluded Tuesday in a 76-71 loss at Ohio. The Cardinals (11-5, 2-1 MAC) committed a season-high 20 turnovers and were without guards Demarius Jacobs and Luke Bumbalough for the entire second half after each suffered an injury.
BSU has lost five straight games to the Bobcats (9-7, 1-2 MAC), is now 11-31 all-time in Athens and is 54-35 against OU overall.
Ball State was sloppy from the jump as sophomore forward Payton Sparks committed two turnovers and allowed an and-1 layup within the first minute, prompting a substitution from head coach Michael Lewis.