Ball State University Athletics
MAC Schedule Announced for 2012-13 Men's Hoops
August 29, 2012 | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Ball State's 16-game Mid-American Conference schedule for men's basketball was revealed Wednesday with the league's announcement of its 2012 slate.
As always, the Cardinals will play home-and-home against each of their fellow MAC West Division members and will meet each team from the East Division once. But for the first time since the MAC went to a 16-game conference schedule in 2006-07, the crossover games against teams from the opposite division will not be played consecutively.
The Cardinals will play the six East opponents in an eight-game stretch after opening conference play on the road Jan. 9 at Eastern Michigan. Ball State will then close the league slate with seven straight games against the West.
"This year's MAC schedule has a little different feel to it since it mixes in games against East and West opponents throughout the course of the season," Ball State coach Billy Taylor said. "It should not dilute any rivalries we have established with teams in the West but should produce a nice mixture of games as we go through the schedule."
Ball State's home conference games against teams from the East include Kent State (Jan. 12), Buffalo (Jan. 23) and Ohio (Feb. 6). The Cardinals' crossover road contests will come at Akron (Jan. 16), at Miami University (Jan. 26) and at Bowling Green (Feb. 2).
In the West Division, Ball State State's home games come versus Toledo (Jan. 30), Western Michigan (Feb. 9), Eastern Michigan (Feb. 16), Central Michigan (Feb. 27) and Northern Illinois (March 8 or March 9). The Cardinals' road games in the West, in addition to the opener at EMU, come at CMU (Jan. 19), at NIU (Feb. 13), at Toledo (March 2) and at WMU (March 5).
"We always look forward to MAC play," Taylor said. "We have some exciting home contests against league rivals and some opportunities to go on road and try to win in tough environments."
Ball State will play four of its first six conference games on the road but will later have four home contests in a five-game league stretch from Feb. 6 to Feb. 27.
The Cardinals' non-conference schedule is near completion and will be announced once it is finalized.
Ball State's 2012 MAC Schedule
Wed.
Jan. 9
at Eastern Michigan
TBA
Sat.
Jan. 12
KENT STATE
2 p.m.
Wed.
Jan. 16
at Akron
TBA
Sat.
Jan. 19
at Central Michigan
TBA
Wed.
Jan. 23
BUFFALO
7 p.m.
Sat.
Jan. 26
at Miami University
TBA
Wed.
Jan. 30
TOLEDO
7 p.m.
Sat.
Feb. 2
at Bowling Green
TBA
Wed.
Feb. 6
OHIO
7 p.m.
Sat.
Feb. 9
WESTERN MICHIGAN
2 p.m.
Wed.
Feb. 13
at Northern Illinois
TBA
Sat.
Feb. 16
EASTERN MICHIGAN
2 p.m.
Wed.
Feb. 27
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
7 p.m.
Sat.
March 2
at Toledo
TBA
Tues.
March 5
at Western Michigan
TBA
Fri. or Sat.
March 8 or 9
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
TBA
Home games in ALL CAPS.
