Ball State University
Buffalo
WBB Hosts MAC East Division Leader Buffalo Saturday
January 12, 2018 | Women's Basketball
Game #16: Ball State vs. Buffalo
Date: Saturday, Jan. 13
Tipoff: 2 p.m. ET
Television: ESPN3
Listen: Muncie Sports Station 102.9 FM/1340 AM
Live Stats: Ball State vs. Buffalo
Social Media: @BallStateWBB, @BallStateSports, #ChirpChirp
Game Notes: Ball State | Buffalo
- Ball State women's basketball moved to 14-1 overall and 3-1 in the Mid-American Conference with its 74-61 win at Akron Wednesday. Senior forward Moriah Monaco led all scorers with a 23-point performance while junior guard Carmen Grande collected her fifth double-double of the season and 10th of her career, after scoring 10 points while dishing out 11 assists. The win marked the fifth straight over the Zips.
- Ball State's 14-1 record is the best start in program history.
- The Cardinals remain one of four teams nationally that have suffered only one loss and have been receiving votes in both the USA Today Coaches and AP Top 25 polls.
- Power 5 conference wins over - Vanderbilt (88-79) and Purdue (66-60). Along with wins over Big East opponent Butler (87-75) and Conference USA Western Kentucky (93-81).
- Ball State ended its non-conference season 11-0 and at the time was only one of seven teams nationally that were still undefeated and one of two non Power 5 teams on the list.
- Ball State has scored at least 80-plus points in nine out of its 15 games.
- Ball State ranks 25th nationally in the latest RPI which is the highest ranking of any team in the Mid-American Conference.
- Ball State has four wins over top 100 RPI Teams - Western Kentucky (36 RPI), Purdue (57 RPI) and Butler (65 RPI) and Miami (99).
- Junior guard Carmen Grande ranks second nationally in assists per game (9.4 apg) and fourth in total assists (131).
- The 11 straight non-conference wins marked the second largest win streak in program history (12 in 2008-09 which included win over Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament).
- Senior forward Moriah Monaco has scored double figures 68 times so far for her career at Ball State including all but one this season.
- Buffalo holds a 12-3 record heading into Saturday's game and a 3-1 mark in MAC play. The Bulls currently stand in first place in the MAC East Division. Ball State and Buffalo are the two highest ranked MAC teams in the RPI currently. The Cardinals are 28 in the nation and Buffalo is 37 as of Jan. 12. The lone conference loss for the was against Northern Illinois in overtime by a score of 84-86 in DeKalb on Jan. 6.
- Saturday's game against Buffalo will mark the 27th time in program history the two schools have met with the Cardinals leading the all-time series, 15-11. During regular season play the past two seasons, the Cardinals have won the last three meetings including an 89-75 win at Buffalo last year. The last meeting between the two programs resulted in a semifinal loss for Ball State in the 2017 MAC Tournament in Cleveland. The Cardinals fell to the Bulls that game by a score of 69-65.
- Buffalo is paced by Cierra Dillard, who averages 13.4 points per game, behind Dillard is Cassie Oursler who is currently averaging 13.3 ppg. Stephanie Reid rounds out the double digit scoring with 10.0 points per contest.
- The Bulls are led by head coach Felisha Leggett-Jack who is in her sixth season at Buffalo. She owns a 101-72 with the Bulls.
