Ball State University Athletics
Men?s Basketball Hosts New Orleans Saturday
December 04, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Game 9
Ball State (6-2) vs. New Orleans (2-4)
Saturday, Dec. 5 (2 p.m.)
Muncie, Ind. (Worthen Arena)
Watch (ESPN3) | Listen (WLBC)
A Look at the Cardinals
• Ball State is coming off a 61-58 victory Tuesday over IUPUI, the team's fifth straight win. The Cardinals now welcome New Orleans for the first meeting between the teams since 1984.
• At 6-2, the Cardinals are off to their best start since the 2011-12 team started 6-2. A win Saturday would give the program its best record through nine games since the 1999-2000 team started 8-1. It would also give Ball State a six-game winning streak for the first time since early in the 2011-12 season.
• The Cardinals are in the midst of 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.
• Freshman post player Trey Moses has recorded seven blocked shots over the past two games, including a career-high four blocks in Tuesday's win over IUPUI. Ball State's 10 blocks as a team in that game were the most for the program against a Division I opponent since 2000.
• Ball State has recorded more assists than turnovers in five of its eight games this season. The team accomplished that only nine times in 30 games last year.
• Junior wing Ryan Weber and sophomore guard Francis Kiapway have combined for 32 3-pointers (16 each), the second most of any duo in the Mid-American Conference behind the 34 of Akron's Reggie McAdams (19) and Jake Kretzer (15).
High School Reunion
• Saturday's game will provide an opportunity for freshman center Trey Moses to square off with one of his former high school teammates.
• New Orleans freshman guard Cameron Reed played alongside Moses at Louisville's Eastern High School, where the two were classmates.
• The pair helped Eastern to a 17-10 record last season.
Locking It Down
• Even with the increased offense in college basketball this season, Ball State is holding opponents to 63.0 points per game. That number ranks 38th in the country.
• The Cardinals rank 70th nationally in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 39.4 percent from the floor.
• Throw out the game against Eastern Kentucky (89 points, 56.5 percent), and Ball State has held its other seven opponents to an average of 59.3 points on 37.4 percent shooting.
• The Cardinals have held seven of their eight opponents to fewer than 70 points, and they have won six of those games.
Get It Out
• Ball State notched a season-high 10 blocked shots, including four from Trey Moses, in Tuesday's win over IUPUI.
• The 10 blocks tied for the fifth most in a game in Ball State history.
• They were the most in a game for BSU since Dec. 8, 2004 against Anderson (10) and the most against a Division I opponent since Feb. 9, 2000 against Western Michigan (11).
• The Cardinals rank third in the MAC and 76th nationally with 4.8 blocks per game.
Beyond the Arc
• Sophomore guard Francis Kiapway and junior forward Ryan Weber have accounted for 32 of Ball State's 58 3-pointers this season.
• Weber (16 for 31) ranks 20th in the nation at 51.6 percent from beyond the arc (minimum 2.5 makes per game).
• Kiapway (16 for 30) is shooting a slightly better percentage (.533) but currently falls short of the minimum to qualify for the rankings.
