With 16.3 seconds left in regulation, Northern Illinois was down by two as guard Travon Baker drove to the rim, making contact with Ball State’s Majok Majok.
Majok blocked the shot, but he fouled Baker in the process for his fifth and final foul of the game. Baker would later hit a game-tying three-pointer, forcing overtime where Ball State lost, 65-67.
Majok’s absence was felt in overtime.
“Obviously, we try to run offense through [Majok] when we can,” Ball State head coach James Whitford said. “Getting the ball in the post is a big deal.”
Sophomore forward Bo Calhoun started overtime in place of Majok, but he couldn’t do what the senior center does offensively.
Majok finished with 9 points and 11 rebounds, five of those on the offensive end. He also had two blocks.
After a couple of minutes with Calhoun at the center spot, freshman forward Franko House entered the game.
“We don’t really know how to run offense through him at [center],” Whitford said. “I thought it made it awkward for us.”
Northern Illinois outscored Ball State 7-5 in overtime.
Not only did the Cardinals hate to adjust to Majok’s absence, so did the Huskies.
“Majok just changes shots,” Northern Illinois head coach Mark Montgomery said. “Early in the game, he had some blocks. Instead of driving and finishing, you have to drive and kick.”
Majok was in foul trouble throughout the entire game and played 26 minutes.
“It helped us because [Northern Illinois center Jordan] Threloff got going,” Montgomery said. “All his points were right around the basket. He could roam a little more freely on defense.”
Threloff scored 13 points for the Huskies in the game, the second-most on his team. He also added eight rebounds.
Montgomery said his team decided to double-team Majok late in the game. With 2:17 left in regulation, Majok went to work down low in the post.
Two Northern Illinois bigs converged on Majok as he went up for a hook shot. Instead of finishing the shot attempt, Majok passed to House under the rim. House went up strong and drew a foul.
“It helps us on the offensive end where we can just go right to our post player,” Montgomery said. “[Majok] is long and doesn’t let you get your sweet spots on the floor.
“He makes you change your defensive schemes.”
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