Cleveland, OH -- (Sports Network) - Justin Dobbins scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds, and Eastern Michigan edged Ball State, 59-55, in the opening round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament.

Carlos Medlock scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds for the Eagles (14-16), who advance to play Western Michigan, the tourney's No. 2 seed, at noon (et) on Thursday. Travis Lewis had 12 points and 10 boards for Eastern Michigan, which has won four of five and six of eight.

Anthony Newell scored 17 points and had five rebounds for Ball State (6-24), which closed its season by losing two in a row and five of six. Peyton Stovall scored 13 points, and Melvin Goins added 11 for the Cardinals.

The lowly Cardinals led by seven early in the second half, withstood a 10-0 Eastern Michigan push and came back to edge in front, 44-43, on two Stovall free throws with about seven minutes left.

The Eagles answered with an 8-0 run, though, kicked off by baskets from Lewis and Jarred Axon, and the Cardinals never answered. Medlock drained four free throws down the stretch as Eastern Michigan held on.

Newell came out of the gates firing, and scored 12 of Ball State's first 14 points as the Cardinals took an early 15-9 lead. The Cardinals closed the first half with seven straight points and took a 30-26 lead into the break.