Ball State University
Indiana
WBB Stays In-State For First Round Of WNIT At Big Ten Foe Indiana Thursday
March 15, 2017 | Women's Basketball
Game #32 First Round Women's National Invitation Tournament At Indiana
Date: Thursday, March 16, 2017
Tipoff: 7 p.m. (EST)
Television: Big Ten Plus Network
Listen: Muncie Sports Station 102.9 FM/1340 AM
Live Stats
Social Media: @ballstatesports, @bsucoachbrady, @BallStateWBB, #ChirpChirp
Game Notes: Ball State, Indiana
Cardinal Notes:
• The Ball State women's basketball team has earned an at-large berth to compete in the 2017 Postseason Women's National Invitation Tournament that consists of 64 teams. The Cardinals will play at Indiana (20-10) Thursday at 7 p.m. in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
• This marks the fourth time out of the last five years Ball State has faced a Big Ten opponent in the WNIT first round. The Cardinals defeated Minnesota (54-51) in 2013, fell to Northwestern (69-65) in 2014 and then earned a 77-72 victory at Iowa last season. Ball State has competed against one Big Ten opponent this season when it suffered a 58-42 loss at home against Purdue, Dec. 8. The Cardinals are the first Mid-American Conference opponent Indiana has met this season. The only common opponent besides the Boilermakers that the Hoosiers and Cardinals have both faced was Auburn and Western Kentucky. Both teams suffered setbacks against both opponents. Indiana won its first meeting against Purdue (74-60) at home and then lost to the Boilermakers 66-60 at the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.
• Ball State will be making its fifth straight WNIT appearance and eighth overall. The Cardinals went 1-1 in 2002 in their first WNIT postseason experience, beating Louisville (95-84) and then falling in the second round to Valparaiso (77-69). In 2003, the Cardinals defeated Indiana State (91-87) and then fell to Missouri (88-77). In 2007, the Cardinals fell at home to Kentucky (85-82). Ball State advanced to the final 16 in the WNIT in 2012-13 after taking down Big Ten foe Minnesota (54-51) and Northern Iowa (53-48) before the Cardinals lost to Kansas State (60-48). In 2014, Ball State fell 69-65 at Northwestern in the first round and then lost to Middle Tennessee 69-58 in 2015. Last year the Cardinals upset Big Ten foe Iowa in the first round on the road by a score of 77-72 before falling at Saint Louis, 59-55. Ball State is 5-7 all-time in the WNIT.
• Indiana is making its third appearance in the postseason in the last four seasons, the most since joining the NCAA in 1981-82. It also marks the first back-to-back postseason selections for the Hoosiers since 2007-08 and 2008-09.
• IU makes its eighth appearance overall in the WNIT, holding a 9-7 overall record and making its last appearance in 2013-14 where they made it to the third round. Indiana has made 14 appearances in a postseason with WNIT appearances (1998, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013) and five NCAA Tournament berths (1983, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2016) and one NWIT appearance (1991).
Next Game:
Second Round WNIT vs. IUPUI or Saint Louis
