Ball State University Athletics
MBB Visits Central Michigan Saturday on ESPN3
February 20, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Ball State at Central Michigan
Saturday, Feb. 21; 4:30 p.m.
McGuirk Arena (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.)
Video: ESPN3
Radio: 104.1 WLBC
Central Michigan has not been beaten often this season in men's basketball. The Chippewas own the best overall record in the Mid-American Conference and are tied for first place in the league standings.
But one of Central Michigan's five losses came Jan. 10 in Muncie with an 83-65 defeat at the hands of Ball State. The Cardinals are 2-1 against the Chippewas (19-5, 9-4 MAC) over the past two seasons with the only loss coming in triple overtime last year on the road.
The teams will get another look at each other Saturday at McGuirk Arena in Mt. Pleasant, Mich.
For Ball State (7-17, 2-11 MAC), playing one of the MAC's top teams is nothing new. The Cardinals' past two games have comes against Bowling Green and Kent State, two of the teams tied with Central Michigan for the league's best record.
Ball State turned in a good effort Wednesday against the Golden Flashes but came up short in a 58-53 road loss. Bo Calhoun led the Cardinals with a career-high 18 points.
Calhoun and teammate Franko House have emerged as two of the most improved players in the MAC. Both rank among the league's top 10 players in terms of increased scoring average in conference play from last year to this year.
House is leading the Cardinals at 12.4 points per game in league action (6.5 last year), while Calhoun is up to 9.8 points per game (2.4 last year).
Central Michigan has won four games in a row since an overtime loss to Bowling Green.
The Chippewas continue to rank as the top offensive team in the conference, though their scoring and shooting numbers are down a little bit in conference play. They are still a perimeter oriented team, ranking third in the country with 10.3 made 3-pointers per game.
Ball State holds a 61-32 lead in the all-time series with Central Michigan, while the Chippewas own a 27-18 edge against the Cardinals on their home floor. CMU is 14-1 this season at McGuirk Arena.
