Ball State University Athletics
Men's Hoops Returns to Action at Eastern Illinois
December 01, 2014 | Men's Basketball
Ball State at Eastern Illinois
Wednesday, Dec. 3; 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET)
Lantz Arena (Charleston, Ill.)
Live Video: Ohio Valley Digital Network
Radio: 104.1 WLBC
Entering this week, only two teams in the country have knocked down 3-pointers at a better rate than the Ball State men's basketball team.
The Cardinals have shot a blistering 46.9 percent from beyond the arc with contributions up and down the lineup. The deadly accuracy has helped the team to a fast start offensively, leading the Mid-American Conference in scoring so far.
Ball State (2-2) will look to keep its hot shooting alive Wednesday at Eastern Illinois (2-5) when it ventures back out on the road for its first game in more than a week.
The Cardinals have been off from competition since a Nov. 24 home win over Grambling State. Their long-range touch was on full display in that game with 14 made 3-pointers, including four each from Jeremie Tyler and Rocco Belcaster.
Tyler scored 18 against Grambling and now ranks fourth in the MAC at 16.3 points per game. Fellow freshman Sean Sellers in the league's top scorer at 19.5 a night. Together they have helped the Cardinals average 82.5 points per game.
Ball State will get an added boost Wednesday with the return of point guard Zavier Turner, who has been reinstated after missing two games for a violation of team rules.
While the Cardinals had a break over the Thanksgiving holiday, Eastern Illinois had a heavy schedule. The Panthers have played three times since Ball State last took the court, including two games over the weekend at the Emerald Coast Classic in Florida -- a loss to North Carolina Central and a win over Southern.
Ball State last played Eastern Illinois during the 2010-11 season, winning both games of a home-and-home series in November and December of that year. The Cardinals have won 10 straight in the series, though the teams have met just three times since the mid-1980s.
Following Wednesday's game, Ball State will return home for a Saturday contest with longtime rival Indiana State. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Worthen Arena in the first leg of a men's and women's doubleheader.
In the National Rankings
• Ball State enters this week ranked third nationally in 3-point percentage (.469*), trailing only Duquesne (.528) and Portland (.500).
• The Cardinals also rank among the top 25 in the nation in four other offensive categories: 12th in field goal percentage (.519*), 17th in scoring offense (82.5 points per game*), 19th in 3-pointers per game (9.5) and 24th in assists per game (17.3*).
• Asterisks indicate categories in which Ball State leads the Mid-American Conference.
Crashing the Boards
• Ball State has been dominant on the glass, outrebounding each of its past three opponents by double figures -- 44-32 over IU Kokomo, 42-28 over IUPUI and 35-23 over Grambling State.
• Senior post player Matt Kamieniecki has been a big reason for the rebounding success, collecting 34 rebounds during the three-game stretch, including a career-high 15 against IUPUI and 13 against Grambling State.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State men's basketball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateMBB and @coachjwhit on Twitter.
