TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Sophomore Jake LaRavia poured in a career-best 27 points and the Indiana State University men's basketball team held on for a 67-57 victory over in-state rival Ball State University Saturday, Dec. 19 at the Hulman Center.
 
LaRavia paced the offensive attack for the Sycamores, scoring 22 of his career-best 27 in the first half. The sophomore shot 70 percent (7-of-10) from the floor and 93 percent (13-of-14) from the free throw line.
 
Senior Tyreke Key moved into 15^th all-time in Indiana State scoring laurels during the contest, scoring 12 points to bring his career total to 1,305. Graduate transfer Randy Miller Jr. scored 10 crucial second half points, going 5-of-6 from the charity stripe to help seal the game.
 
Ball State was led by Ishmael El-Amin, who scored 18 points and led the Cardinals with three assists.
 
The Sycamores shot 46.7 percent (14-of-30) from the floor in the opening half while holding the Cardinals to a season-low 23 points to build a robust 38-23 lead. Ball State bounced right back after the halftime break, scoring 17 of the first 21 points in the second stanza.
 
With the back-and-forth battle on, Miller stepped up for Indiana State. After going scoreless in the first half, the transfer guard netted all 10 of his points while the Sycamores battled foul trouble. The Cardinals continued to keep the game close, but ISU never relinquished the lead.
 
The two teams were relatively equal in shooting for the game, as Indiana State finished 38.2 percent (21-of-55) overall compared to Ball States 36.2 percent (21-of-58). One of the game's key differences came from the charity stripe, as the Sycamores shot 75 percent (21-of-28) for the second consecutive game, while the Cardinals shot just 62.5 percent (10-of-16).
 
ISU held the advantage on the rebounding front, finishing with 40 on the afternoon compared to BSU's 37. Indiana State sophomore Tre Williams was the lone player to finish with double-digit rebounds, hauling in 10. The Sycamores led the Cardinals in fast break points, 14-5, and the teams each finished with 28 points in the paint.
 
Indiana State wraps its non-conference schedule with a matinee showdown against Southeast Missouri State Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 1 p.m. at Hulman Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 and on WIBQ 97.9 FM.
 
For the latest information on Sycamore Basketball, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.