Someone stole Keith McLeod’s mojo.
McLeod’s secret mojo power took over when the game was on the line. And it appeared that the Bowling Green guard was about to break out his mojo with just over three minutes left against Ball State last night.
McLeod had already scored 30 points and just put in two free throws to total 32. The score was 68-66 with 3:38 left, and everyone who had seen McLeod’s last minute spectacles this season knew the ball would probably end up his way. It was only three games ago that the leading MAC scorer blew up for 13 points in the final 3:14 against Central Michigan to send the Falcons home with an 82-81 victory.
“I don’t know if you saw me, but I had a maintenance guy go put a lid on the basket during one of the time-outs because we knew about his heroics,” Ball State coach Tim Buckley said jokingly. “We knew he went for like four straight baskets against Central Michigan in an unbelievable run.”
When McLeod reached down deep to get that mojo, it was missing. Ball State guard Patrick Jackson had swiped away the late game heroics that fans were accustomed to seeing from No. 20 in Orange and White.
After McLeod’s free throws, Jackson erupted for the two biggest shots of the game that turned out to be the backbreaker and the end of the Falcons 12-game win streak. The first blow was a three-pointer from the top of the key that put the Cardinals up by five with 3:20 to go.
“We have been relying on Keith a lot,” BG coach Dan Dakich said. “I told the team that there would be a game when he just wouldn’t be able to get it done for everybody. We needed more guys to do more things, and we just didn’t get that tonight.”
Down the court came Keith ‘Mojoless’ McLeod, ready to begin his own heroics. He put a three-pointer to answer Jackson, but all he found was iron. Ball State grabbed the rebound. Then Jackson came down the court again and put a dagger in the Falcons’ heart by hitting nothing but net on his next shot just on the left wing.
“We had been watching film on him, and the guy can score in bunches,” Jackson said. “All I wanted to do was stay in front of him and keep a hand in his face. It looks like I did a decent job and I played a decent game.”
“Jackson played a great game,” Dakich said. “I thought the key to the game was that their shots went in at crucial times and our didn’t.”
