Ball State University Athletics
Men?s Basketball Visits Indiana State Tuesday
December 21, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Game 11
Ball State (7-3) at Indiana State (5-6)
Tuesday, Dec. 22 (7 p.m.)
Terre Haute, Ind. (Hulman Center)
Watch (ESPN3) | Listen (WLBC)
A Look at the Cardinals
• Ball State had a six-game winning streak snapped Dec. 12 with a 72-63 loss to Pepperdine. It was the program's longest winning streak in four years. The Cardinals will have been off from competition for 10 days by the time they tip off Tuesday at Indiana State.
• Ball State has played Indiana State more often than any opponent in program history. The teams will be meeting for the 130th time in a series that dates back to 1922. The Sycamores hold a 71-58 all-time advantage, but Ball State snapped a three-game ISU winning streak in the series last year with a 70-63 victory in Muncie.
• At 7-3 so far this season, the Cardinals are off to their best start through 10 games since the 2001-02 team started 7-3.
• Tuesday's game at Indiana State is Ball State's first contest away from home in a month. The Cardinals are coming off a five-game homestand that was the longest for the program since its played five straight at home early in the 1998-99 season. Tuesday's game is the only road contest in a nine-game stretch for the Cardinals.
• Ball State checks in at No. 174 in the latest Ken Pomeroy rankings. The Cardinals have been as high as No. 156 this season, marking their best ranking since January 2012.
• Ball State ranks second in the MAC and 30th nationally in scoring defense, allowing 62.8 points per game. Pepperdine's 72-point output Dec. 12 marked only the second time this season the Cardinals have surrendered 70 points in a game.
House a Constant
• Junior forward Franko House has started 39 consecutive games dating back to last season.
• House's 60 career starts are the most of any active Ball State player.
Locking It Down
• Even with the increased offense in college basketball this season, Ball State is holding opponents to 62.8 points per game. That number ranks 30th in the country.
• The Cardinals rank 57th nationally in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 39.3 percent from the floor.
• The Cardinals have held eight of their 10 opponents to fewer than 70 points, and they have won seven of those games.
Taking Care of the Ball
• Ball State has made vast improvements in protecting the basketball, ranking 102nd in the nation this season in fewest turnovers per game at 12.2.
• In each of the three previous seasons, the Cardinals ranked below No. 300 in the country in that category.
Balanced Attack
• Through 10 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.
Hitting the Glass
• Ball State has outrebounded eight of its 10 opponents this season.
• The Cardinals are +42 on the boards for the year.
