Ball State University Athletics
Men?s Hoops Looks to Stay Hot against Pepperdine
December 10, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Game 10
Ball State (7-2) vs. Pepperdine (5-4)
Saturday, Dec. 12 (1 p.m.)
Muncie, Ind. (Worthen Arena)
Watch (ESPN3) | Listen (WLBC)
Toys for Tots Military and Public Safety Appreciation Day
• The Ball State men's basketball program in partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps League Mounds Detachment from Anderson will be hosting Toys for Tots Military and Public Safety Appreciation Day presented by the Muncie Visitors Bureau.
• Any individual who presents a valid military or public safety I.D. will receive complimentary admission for the game, while each fan who brings a toy to donate will receive specially-priced $6 (general admission) or $10 (reserved) tickets.
• The Muncie Central ROTC Drill Team will perform at halftime of Saturday's game. The Ball State ROTC will present colors before the game, and local law enforcement personnel will present the game ball. Additionally, Ball State will recognize the Muncie Central ROTC director at the half as part of the military moment.
A Look at the Cardinals
• Ball State has won six in a row, including a 66-52 victory over New Orleans last Saturday in its most recent action, to tie for the 11th longest active winning streak in the country.
• The Cardinals now welcome a Pepperdine team riding a three-game winning streak of its own for the first ever meeting between the teams.
• At 7-2, the Cardinals are off to their best start through nine games since the 1999-2000 team started 8-1. That team eventually got to 10-1 before suffering its second loss.
• Ball State can run its winning streak to seven games with a win Saturday. That would match the longest streak for the program since the beginning of the 2000-01 season. The Cardinals won seven in a row during the middle of the 2010-11 campaign.
• The Cardinals are closing out a five-game homestand that is the longest for the program since its played five straight at home early in the 1998-99 season. Ball State has not had a longer homestand since it opened the 1992-93 campaign with six straight at Worthen Arena. The team is in the midst of a stretch in which it will play eight of nine at home.
• Ball State checks in at No. 159 in the latest Ken Pomeroy rankings. The Cardinals have been as high as No. 156 this season, marking their best ranking since January 2012.
• By holding New Orleans to 52 points last Saturday, Ball State became the top scoring defense in the Mid-American Conference. The Cardinals are allowing just 61.8 points per game.
History vs. WCC
• Saturday's meeting will be the first ever between Ball State and Pepperdine.
• The Cardinals are 1-0 all-time against the West Coast Conference and 2-0 against current members of the league.
• BSU defeated WCC member San Francisco 81-72 on Dec. 30, 1992 at the Big Island Invitational in Hilo, Hawaii.
• The Cardinals played Pacific on Jan. 16, 1975 when the Tigers were not a WCC member. Pacific won that game 83-69 in Muncie.
Winning Streak
• Ball State's current six-game winning streak is the second-longest for the program since the beginning of the 2000-01 season and just the fourth streak of at least six games during that time period.
Longest Winning Streaks
(since start of 2000-01)
7 games; Dec. 31, 2010 - Jan. 22, 2011
6 games; Nov. 21, 2015 - Present
6 games; Nov. 23, 2011 - Dec. 10, 2012
6 games; Jan. 5, 2002 - Jan. 23, 2002
Locking It Down
• Even with the increased offense in college basketball this season, Ball State is holding opponents to 61.8 points per game. That number ranks 28th in the country.
• The Cardinals rank 54th nationally in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 38.9 percent from the floor.
• The Cardinals have held eight of their nine opponents to fewer than 70 points, and they have won seven of those games.
Getting to the Line
• During its current six-game winning streak, Ball State has been to the free throw line 135 times, compared to 80 trips for its opponents.
• The Cardinals have outscored their opponents 99-51 at the stripe during that stretch.
• In the first three games of the season, Ball state was 39 of 62 from the foul line, while its opponents were 64 of 89.
Balanced Attack
• Through nine games, Ball State has had six different players either lead the team in scoring outright or tie for the team lead.
• Eight different players have registered at least one double-figure scoring game so far.
