Easton, Pa. – Juwan Maxey tallied 27 points to lead Ball State University to a 96-85 come-from-behind victory over the Le Moyne College men's basketball team on the third day of The Lafayette Classic on Sunday afternoon at the Kirby Sports Center.

Redshirt junior guard Trent Mosquera (Boston, Mass./Belmont Hill School) led five Dolphins in double figures with a career-best 26 points, 20 of which came in the second half, while adding five rebounds and four assists. He drilled a career high-tying six three-pointers for the second time this season (Xavier). Redshirt sophomore guard Deng Garang (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Grimes) recorded 13 of his 15 points in the first half, while adding three steals. Graduate student forward Shilo Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central/Vincennes/Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) and junior guard Samuel Hincapie (Medellin, Colombia/Gateway Legacy Prep (Mo.)/Lake Land College) each registered 12 points, while Jackson had nine rebounds. Sophomore guard Jakai Sanders (Brooklyn, N.Y./Eagle Academy/Saint Peter's) turned in 10 points and three assists.

Maxey tallied 15 of his game-high point total in the first half, while finishing the game with seven three-pointers and five assists. Davion Hill came off the bench to record 24 points in 28 minutes, including 13 points after halftime. Devon Barnes recorded 14 second-half points and dished out five assists as a reserve. Preston Copeland turned in a double-double of 10 points and 16 rebounds. Mason Jones also had 10 points.

Maxey gave the Cardinals a 9-0 lead with three consecutive three-pointers in the opening 2:39 of the game.

Sanders and Garang drained back-to-back three-pointers to get the Dolphins back within three, but then Maxey was fouled on a three-pointer and proceeded to make all three free throws for a 12-6 lead.

Following a lay-up by Elmore James to put the Cardinals up 14-9, the Dolphins scored seven straight points to take their first lead of the game. Garang and Hincapie made lay-ups and then Hincapie drilled a three-pointer with 12:11 left.

The teams exchanged the lead six times over the next four minutes, the last of which came on a three-pointer by freshman guard Eli Greenberg (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) to put the Dolphins up 24-23 with 8:17 remaining.

Le Moyne's lead bounced between one and three points over the next five minutes before Hincapie buried another three-pointer and Sanders made a free throw for a 36-31 lead with 2:28 to go.

After Mosquera made a lay-up for a 38-33 lead, Hill tallied five points over the final 43 seconds to even the score at 38 at the intermission.

The Dolphins opened the second half with a 10-2 run to take their largest lead of the game, 48-40, and force a Ball State timeout with 16:37 remaining. Jackson made a lay-up and two free throws, Hincapie converted a lay-up, Garang had one of his own and then Mosquera scored in transition off a steal.

After the teams traded points over the next five minutes, during which Le Moyne's lead bounced between three and eight points and settled at seven with 11:56 to go, the Cardinals tallied 12 of the next 16 points to take the lead. Jones hit a three-pointer, Maxey drilled back-to-back trifectas and then Copeland had a tip-in for the lead with 9:13 remaining.

The teams exchanged the lead twice and they were tied twice over the next 2:15 before Ball State took the lead for good. Following a tie at 65, the Cardinals ran off 16 of the next 19 points. Barnes hit a jumper, Hill made a conventional three-point play and another lay-up, Barnes followed a Mosquera three-pointer by draining back-to-back three-pointers and then Maxey buried a three-pointer for an 81-68 lead with 3:26 left.

Mosquera pulled the Dolphins within 86-82 with 1:28 remaining with four consecutive three-pointers around a free throw by Jones and a lay-up by Hill.

The Cardinals put the game away with 10 of the last 13 points. Jones made two free throws, Copeland had a dunk, Barnes made two free throws around a Hill lay-up and then Hill made two foul shots to end the scoring.
 
Le Moyne (4-5), which played a third game in three days for the first time since 1990, is back in action on Saturday at Binghamton University at 4:00 p.m.