For the first time since 2011, the Ball State Cardinals are playing in Cleveland on a Friday night in March. After downing the Western Michigan Broncos in a back-and-forth affair, the Cardinals must turn around and take on another local 1-seed in the form of the Akron Zips tomorrow evening.
The Broncos came out on fire, jumping out to an early 10-2 lead. They would extend it out to 9 points later in the half, but the tide seemed to swing on a freak accident midway through the half. On a loose ball from Thomas Wilder, two Cardinal players - Jeremie Tyler and Tayler Persons - flew into each other.