Ball State University Athletics
Men's Basketball Hosts Butler Today At 2 P.M.
December 08, 2011 | Men's Basketball
What's On Tap . . .
Ball State returns home to Worthen Arena Saturday afternoon and hosts two-time NCAA Tournament finalist Butler at 2 p.m. ... Saturday's game will be televised by the Ball State Sports Network with Jerry Peirson and Vince Welch providing the call ... Affiliates for the game include WIPB-TV (Muncie), HTSN 6.2 (Indianapolis), Comcast Indianapolis (Ch. 420), Brighthouse Indianapolis (Ch. 164), WJTS-TV (Jasper), WNDA-TV (Jeffersonville), WKYI-TV (Louisville, KY) and WHME-TV (South Bend) ... The game will also be streamed online at www.ballstatesports.com.
The game will also be radio broadcast on 104.1 WLBC FM with Morry Mannies and David Eha providing the call.
Series History . . .
Saturday's game marks the 103rd meeting all-time between Ball State and Butler, dating back to the first ever meeting December 23, 1924 ... The Cardinals trail the all-time series by a 65-37 margin, including seven straight losses ... The Cardinals last picked up a victory over the Bulldogs December 3, 2003 with a 63-60 victory in Worthen Arena ... Saturday's game marks the 52nd visit all-time for Butler to Muncie ... The Cardinals own a 28-23 record in Muncie against the Bulldogs, including a 4-4 mark at Worthen Arena.
Last season, Ball State suffered its first loss of the season with an 88-55 setback at No. 16 Butler November 20 ... The Cardinals were out-scored 38-20 in the first half as they hit just 7-of-27 (25.9%) from the field in the half while Butler connected on 12-of-27 (44.4%) from the field and 11-of-15 (73.3%) from the free throw line ... Shelvin Mack led the Bulldogs with 19 points while Matt Howard posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds ... Former Cardinal Malik Perry scored 13 points to lead the Cardinals while Jarrod Jones finished with nine points and seven rebounds.
Coaching Comparison . . .
Ball State is led by fifth-year head coach Billy Taylor ... Taylor has led the Cardinals to 54 wins over the past four seasons, including a 19-win campaign last year which marked the 11th most wins in program history ... The Cardinals have finished either first or second in the Mid-American Conference West Division the past three years and have advanced to the MAC Tournament semifinals two out of the last three years.
Butler is lead by fifth-year head coach Brad Stevens who has guided the Bulldogs to 117 wins in his first four seasons ... Stevens is a two-time Horizon League Coach of the Year selection and has guided the Bulldogs to back-to-back NCAA Tournament Finals appearances.
Home, Sweet Home . . .
Saturday's game marks the 287th game all-time for the Cardinals at Worthen Arena since it opened January 15, 1992 (previously named University Arena) ... Ball State owns a 210-76 record all-time at Worthen Arena as it has won 73.4 percent of its games at home ... Last season, the Cardinals posted an 11-3 record at home, including a 5-1 mark during non-conference play ... During its career, the Cardinals have averaged over 10.35 wins a season at home at Worthen Arena.
Last Time Out . . .
Ball State picked up its fifth straight win Tuesday night with a 76-55 victory at SIU Edwardsville ... The Cardinals connected on 46.9 percent (23-of-49) from the field and 36.4 percent (8-of-22) from long range while holding the Cougars to 35.2 percent (19-of-54) from the field and just 16.7 percent (4-of-24) from long range.
Sophomore guard Jesse Berry led the way with a career-high 25 points in 27 minutes off the bench ... Berry connected on 8-of-13 from the field, 4-of-8 from three-point land and 5-of-6 from the free throw line ... Senior forward Jarrod Jones recorded his third double-double of the season with 22 points and 13 rebounds ... Jones was 6-of-8 from the field and hit 9-of-11 from the charity stripe.
20-Plus Scorers . . .
Tuesday evening sophomore guard Jesse Berry and senior forward Jarrod Jones each scored at least 20 points in the Cardinals' 76-55 victory as Berry posted a career-high 25 points and Jones added 22 points ... It marks the first time this season that the Cardinals have had two players score at least 20 points in a game and the first time a duo has accomplished the feat since March 12, 2009 in the Cardinals' 64-61 Mid-American Conference Tournament victory over Central Michigan ... In that game, Jones scored 20 points while former Cardinal Laron Frazier added a career-high 22 points in the overtime victory.
Defensive Prowess . . .
The Cardinals have been one of the top defensive teams in the Mid-American Conference and the country under fifth-year head coach Billy Taylor and this season is no different ... Ball State enters Saturday's game leading the MAC and ranking 13th in NCAA Division I in scoring defense holding opponents to a 55.3 point average ... Also, the Cardinals rank second in the MAC in field goal percentage defense at 36.3 percent, which places them 16th in the nation.
Last season, Ball State led the MAC and was 64th in the nation in scoring defense at 64.0 points per game while placing third in the league in field goal percentage defense at 42.0 ... Two years ago, the Cardinals also led the MAC in scoring defense and were 43rd in the nation at 62.4 points per game.
Hitting The Glass . . .
Ball State has been strong on the glass this season as it ranks fourth in rebounding offense in the Mid-American Conference at 37. boards per game and is first in rebounding defense at 31.1 caroms per game ... The Cardinals have out-rebounded their opponents in six of seven games this year with only No. 16 Arizona grabbing more boards than the Cardinals.
In fact, Ball State has out-rebounded four opponents by double figures this year in IUPUI (+11), Calumet College (+14), Texas Southern (+12) and SIU Edwardsville (+10).
Scouting The Cardinals . . .
Ball State enters Saturday's game with a 5-2 overall record and has won five straight games by an average of 19.4 points ... The Cardinals are averaging 66.7 points per game this season while allowing a Mid-American Conference best 55..3 points per game ... Ball State is shooting 42.6 percent (160-of-376) from the field and 32.7 percent (50-of-153) from three-point land ... Opponents are shooting 36.3 percent (130-of-358) from the field and 27.3 percent (38-of-139) from long range.
Senior forward Jarrod Jones leads the team in scoring at 19.9 points per game and on the glass at 9.3 rebounds per game ... Jones is shooting 62.5 percent (50-of-80) from the field and 82.9 percent (34-of-41) from the free throw line ... Sophomore guard Jesse Berry is second on the team in scoring at 11.6 points per game despite coming off the bench in all seven games this season ... Berry is averaging 23.7 minutes per game off the bench and is second on the team with 12 three-pointers.
Junior guard Jauwan Scaife leads the team with 15 three-pointers and is third on the team in scoring at 9.3 points per game ... Senior guard Randy Davis leads the team with 54 assists and chips in 8.3 points per game ... Sophomore Chris Bond is second on the team in rebounding at 5.2 caroms per contest.
Scouting The Bulldogs . . .
Butler enters Saturday's game with a 4-5 overall record but has dropped three of its last four including back-to-back games against Valparaiso and No. 8 Xavier ... The Bulldogs are averaging 66.8 points per game while allowing 64.6 points per game against ... Butler is shooting 39.4 percent (202-of-513) from the field and 29.5 percent (56-of-190) from long range ... Opponents are shooting 42.3 percent (186-of-440) from the field and 31.2 percent (43-of-138) from long range.
Chrishawn Hopkins leads the Bulldogs in scoring at 11.1 points per game and is second on the team with 13 three-pointers ... Forward Andrew Smith is second on the team in scoring at 10.1 points per game and leads the team on the glass at 6.6 rebounds per game ... Chase Stigall leads Butler with 21 three-pointers as he is averaging 9.6 points per game ... Ronald Nored leads the team with 48 assists while Kameron Woods is second on the team with 6.1 rebounds per game
Lighting It Up . . .
Last Saturday, the Cardinals' offense was hitting on all cylinders in the second half at Tennessee-Martin ... Ball State shot 72.0 percent (18-of-25) from the field in the second half and hit 87.5 percent (7-of-8) from three-point land as it out-scored the Skyhawks by a 46-30 margin ... The Cardinals' 72 percent field goal percentage marks the first time Ball State has shot at least 70 percent in a half since hitting 71.4 percent against Marshall February 28, 1998.
Koch-ing It Up . . .
Redshirt sophomore Tyler Koch sat out last season after transferring from Wright State and spent the time rehabbing from an ankle injury and a hip injury ... Koch has hit the ground running playing in all seven games and getting the start the past six games ... He is averaging 6.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game this season, including a career-high 14 points against Calumet College ... He dished out a career-high five assists at UT Martin.
Jones Scoring Numbers . . .
Senior forward Jarrod Jones leads the Cardinals and is second in the Mid-American Conference in scoring at 19.9 points per game ... Jones ranks 36th in NCAA Division I in scoring this season.
Jones has scored at least 20 points in five of the seven games this season, including back-to-back efforts twice this season for the first time in his career ... He scored 25 points against No. 16 Arizona in the season opener, scored a career-high 26 points against IUPUI, added 23 points against Calumet College, posted 22 points against UT Martin and 22 at SIU Edwardsville... He has notched 15 games of 20-plus points in his career.
Running The Point . . .
Senior guard Randy Davis leads the Cardinals and the Mid-American Conference at 7.7 assists per game ... Davis currently ranks fifth in NCAA Division I in assists per game ... Additionally, Davis leads the MAC in assist/turnover ratio at 4.91, which ranks fourth in the nation ... Davis' 4.91 assist/turnover ratio is nearly double of his closest MAC competitor as Austin McBroom of Central Michigan is second at 2.5.
Ball State as a team is tied for second in the MAC with 15.1 assists per game... The Cardinals lead the MAC in assist/turnover ratio at 1.21.
Double-Dipping . . .
Senior forward Jarrod Jones has posted three double-doubles to raise his career total to a Mid-American Conference best 23 double-doubles ... Jones has accomplished the feat this season against Calumet College, Texas Southern and most recently at SIU Edwardsville.
Climbing The Charts . . .
Senior forward Jarrod Jones currently ranks 13th in Ball State history with 1,321 career points and is sixth all-time with 785 rebounds ... Jones moved up three spots in the scoring charts with his 22-point effort at UT Martin as he passed Ed Butler, Randy Boarden and Chris Williams ... Additionally, Jones is tied for sixth all-time with 98 career starts ... Senior guard Randy Davis moved up to sixth all-time in assists with 356, surpassing Patrick Jackson and Peyton Stovall Tuesday night.
Scoring
9. Peyton Stovall, 2003-08 1,383
10. Dan Palombizio, 1984-86 1,369
11. Skip Mills, 2003-07 1,360
12. Patrick Jackson, 1998-02 1,348
13. Jarrod Jones, 2008-11 1,321
14. Chris Williams, 2001-03 1,291 15. Randy Boarden, 1975-79 1,290
Rebounding
3. Steve Payne, 1992-95 885
4. Theron Smith, 1999-2002 882
5. Bonzi Wells, 1994-98 843
6. Jarrod Jones, 2008-11 785
Game Started
4. Randy Zachary, 1993-97 100
5. Malik Perry, 2007-11 99
6. Jarrod Jones, 2008-11 98
Scott Nichols, 1986-90 98
Assists
4. Scott Nichols (1986-90) 406
5. Bonzi Wells, 1994-98 386
6. Randy Davis, 2008-11 356
7. Patrick Jackson, 1998-02 349
Peyton Stovall, 2003-08 349
9. John Williams, 1979-82 344
Lowe's Senior CLASS Award . . .
Senior forward Jarrod Jones has been selected as one of 30 candidates for the 2011-12 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award given to basketball student-athletes who excel on and off the court ... Jones is the first Cardinal to be selected as a candidate since Peyton Stovall was a finalist for the 2007-08 award.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as a NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition ... The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot ... Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, Division I men's coaches and fans who will select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.
Cardinals Sign Four . . .
Ball State head coach Billy Taylor announced the signings of Michael Ramey (Indianapolis, Ind./Southport), Bo Calhoun (South Bend, Ind./Washington), Marcus Posley (Rockford, Ill./Rockford Auburn) and Mading Thok (Boyden, Iowa/Western Christian) to national letters of intent Friday morning during the early signing period.
Ramey, a 6-5 shooting guard, was recently ranked as a Top 25 Shooter in the country for the class of 2012 by ESPN.com after leading the state in three-point shooting as a junior, connecting on 52.4 percent (66-of-126) ... He averaged 19.5 points per game as a junior to earn First Team All-Conference honors.
Calhoun, a 6-6 forward, earned First Team All-Northern Indiana Conference honors last season after averaging 18.0 points and 9.1 rebounds per game ... He has led the Panthers to a 46-22 record during his first three seasons, including a 12-7 mark last season.
Posley, a 6-1 guard Illinois High School Association All-State honors as a junior as he averaged 19.4 points per game and 4.5 assists per contest ... He also picked up All-Northern Illinois Conference and All-Area accolades last season.
Thok, a 7-0 center, is a native of Bor, Sudan ... He averaged 8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game as a junior while shooting 54.3 percent from the field and 67.6 percent from the free throw line.
Jones Collects MAC Honor . . .
Senior forward Jarrod Jones was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week Monday ... Jones tied his career-high with 25 points against No. 16 Arizona Sunday night while also grabbing nine rebounds ... He connected on 11-of-15 (73.3%) against the nationally ranked Wildcats, including hitting 3-of-3 from three-point land ... He played a team-high 37 minutes as the Cardinals led by 11 points in the second half before their upset bid fell short ... His 25 points ties his career-high which he has posted two other times in his career.
Cardinals Tabbed Second . . .
Ball State has been picked to finish second in the Mid-American Conference West Division preseason poll as selected by the MAC News Media Association ... The Cardinals were picked to finish second in the MAC West Division with 111 points, including nine first place votes, behind Western Michigan (128/14) ... The Cardinals finished last season with a 19-13 overall record and a 10-6 mark in MAC play, finishing second in the West Division ... The Cardinals returns nine letterwinners, including its top five scorers, from last season's team which posted the 11th most wins in program history.
Rounding out the MAC West Division are Central Michigan (92/1), Toledo (76), Northern Illinois (59) and Eastern Michigan (38) ... Reigning MAC regular season champion Kent State was selected to win the East Division with 132 total points, including 16 first place votes ... Akron was tabbed second with 104 points and eight first place votes followed by Ohio (94), Miami (80), Buffalo (62) and Bowling Green (32).
Kent State was also selected to win the 2012 MAC Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio as it received 12 of the 24 votes ... Akron was second with six votes followed by the Cardinals (3), Western Michigan (2) and Central Michigan (1).
Captains Earn MAC Honors . . .
Ball State senior captains Jarrod Jones and Randy Davis were named to the preseason All-Mid-American Conference West Division teams last week ... The two Cardinals were joined by Western Michigan's Flenard Whitfield and Demetrius Ward along with Central Michigan's Trey Zeigler on the West Division squad.
Jones highlights the MAC West Division preseason team, earning preseason accolades for the third time in his career ... He earned First Team All-MAC and MAC All-Tournament honors last season as a junior when leading the team in scoring at 14.7 points per game and rebounding at 8.4 caroms per game ...He scored double figures in 27 of BSU's 32 games, including five games of 20-plus points last season while posting 11 double-doubles.
Davis earns preseason All-MAC honors for the first time in his career after starting all 32 games last season as the Cardinals' point guard ... He averaged 9.8 points per game while leading the team with 160 assists and 48 steals ... He led the MAC from the free throw line connecting on 87.3 percent (117-of-134) while placing second in assists per game (5.0).
Summer Trip To Canada . . .
Ball State took a nine-day foreign trip to Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, Canada this past August ... The Cardinals posted a 4-0 record on the trip as they picked up wins over Quest University, Trinity Western University, Victoria Select and Vancouver Island University.
The Cardinals averaged 101.8 points per game in the four-game trip as they won by an average margin of 31.5 points per game ... Ball State posted 22.5 assists per game while shooting 49.6 percent from the field as a team.
Nine different Cardinals averaged at least six points per game on the trip ... Junior guard Jauwan Scaife led the team in scoring at 19.5 points per game while hitting 53.3 percent (16-of-30) from long range ... Sophomore Chris Bond added 15.3 points, 7.3 rebounds. 4.0 assists and 3.25 steals per game ... Senior forward Jarrod Jones chipped in 15.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while senior Randy Davis added 9.5 points and 7.0 assists per game.
Looking Ahead . . .
Ball State will be off next week for final exams and returns to action December 19 against IUPUI at Conseco Fieldhouse.
