March 7, 2002

Box Score

By TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer

CLEVELAND (AP) - Theron Smith took over in the second half, scoring 19 of his 29 points Thursday night to lead Ball State to a 62-50 quarterfinal win over Miami in the Mid-American Conference tournament.

Smith added 11 rebounds and Patrick Jackson had 12 points for the Cardinals (20-10), the MAC's West Division champion who earlier this season upset Kansas and UCLA on consecutive nights in Hawaii.

Ball State, the tourney's second seed, will play either 11th-seeded Akron or third-seeded Bowling Green in Friday's second semifinal.

In the other semifinal, top seed Kent State will play fourth-seeded Toledo.

Alex Shorts had 17 points to lead seventh-seeded Miami (13-18), which had made it to the semifinals 10 straight years and had been in the past five MAC title games.

Coach Charlie Coles will now have to wait until next season to get his 200th career win. Coles is 199-162.

The RedHawks shot just 39 percent from the floor, and scored six points in the final 6:59.

Ball State was able to handle Miami's pressure defense and the Cardinals took care of the ball, making just two turnovers.

Smith, who averaged 19.6 points per game this season, hit a 3-pointer with 10:22 left to give the Cardinals a 40-35 lead. The 6-foot-8 junior then converted a three-point play and scored on an alley-oop dunk as Ball State pushed its lead to 49-42 with 7:17 remaining.

Billy Lynch's 3-pointer increased Ball State's advantage to 54-44 with 5:20 to go, and Miami was unable to get within 10 the rest of the way as the RedHawks' shots clanged off the rim.

Smith, a first-team all-MAC selection this season, finished 9-of-15 from the floor.

Shorts scored 10 of Miami's final 12 points in the first half to help the RedHawks tie it 22-all at halftime.