Box Score CLEVELAND, Ohio- The No. 5 seeded Western Michigan men's basketball team bowed out of the Mid-American Conference Tournament, falling to No. 4 seed Ball State, 66-63, in the quarterfinal round.

Western Michigan got off to a 10-2 lead but Ball State pulled in front before the end of the half and led 38-33 at halftime. The second half was a heavy-weight fight as the two MAC West Division Co-Champions went back and forth. The lead changed hands six times in the second half and the score was tied on three additional occasions.

The Broncos' Thomas Wilder hit a 3-pointer with 1:14 left that tied the game at 63. The Broncos didn't let the Cardinals get a shot off in the final minute, instead opted to foul. Ball State left the door open, only making three of its six free throws, but WMU missed three shot opportunities in the final 45 seconds.

"Obviously a hard fought ballgame," said WMU head coach Steve Hawkins. "Back and forth, the numbers look even all the way across the board except for free throws. It was just tough going out there. Tough to buy a bucket for everybody involved."

Both Western Michigan and Ball State shot right at 36 percent from the game and the rebounds were nearly even as well at 42-41 in WMU's favor. The Cardinals made nine more trips to the free throw line where they shot 14 for 23. Western Michigan was 7-for-14 from the stripe.

Wilder led all scorers with 24 points on 8 of 22 shooting. He also had five rebounds and five assists. Freshman Brandon Johnson was the only other Bronco to score in double digits with 13 points and eight rebounds. Senior Tucker Haymond was held to eight points.

 Francis Kiapway scored 16 points and Trey Moses posted a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds to lead Ball State (21-11) who advances to the semifinals to face No. 1 seed Akron. Two other Cardinals scored in double figures.

Midway through the first half, Ball State point guard Tayler Persons took a knee to the head from teammate Jeremie Tyler as the two collided diving for a loose ball. Persons left the game bleeding and did not return.

After opening the season with a 6-14 record, Western Michigan rallied back from last place in the MAC to clinch a share of their eighth division title in 14 seasons under Hawkins. The loss to the Cardinals snapped a nine-game MAC winning streak for the Broncos, who finish the year with a 16-16 overall record. The streak was the second longest in school history.

"I can't remember too many teams I've been more proud of," Hawkins said. "What this particular group has done was pretty special. In the the non-conference part of the schedule we played teams likes UCLA and Villanova and North Carolina Wilmington's going to the tournament and Washington. No offense to the MAC, but the schedule makers gave us seven of our first 11 on the road. So it was a difficult schedule to start there, too.

"For the guys to hang in there and just keep playing, you know, come to work every day and practice every day, it's not an easy thing to do."