Ball State University
Ohio
Men's Hoops Visits Ohio for First MAC Road Game
January 08, 2016 | Men's Basketball
Ball State (10-4, 1-0 MAC)
at Ohio (9-4, 0-1 MAC)
Saturday, Jan. 9 (2 p.m.)
Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)
Live Video | Listen (WLBC)
A Look at the Cardinals  Â
• Ball State heads on the road Saturday for the first time in Mid-American Conference play, riding a three-game winning streak into Ohio. The Cardinals will play two straight games on the road after playing eight of their previous nine at home.
• Ball State jumped 20 spots to No. 159 in the Ken Pomeroy rankings after Wednesday's 87-69 win over Toledo. The Cardinals have been as high as No. 156 this season, marking their best ranking since January 2012. BSU has won nine of its past 11 games after starting the year 1-2.
• Junior forward Ryan Weber led five Cardinals in double figures with 21 points in the win over Toledo. It was the first time this season BSU placed five players in double figures.
• At 10-4 so far this season, the Cardinals are off to their best start through 14 games since the 2011-12 team started 10-4. A win Saturday would give Ball State its best 15-game start since the 2010-11 team opened the season 11-4.
• Ball State reached the 10-win mark this season on Jan. 6, marking the earliest on the calendar the Cardinals have posted 10 wins since the 1999-2000 season. The 1988-89 team was the earliest BSU squad to achieve 10 wins, reaching the mark on Dec. 28 ... The team's nine wins prior to Mid-American Conference play were the most for the program since the 1992-93 season and one shy of the school record (10 in 1988-89).
• Ball State ranks second in the MAC and 20th nationally in scoring defense, allowing 62.9 points per game. The Cardinals have surrendered 70 points in a game only three times all year.
Inside the Toledo WinÂ
• Ball State accomplished a few noteworthy items in its league-opening 87-69 win Wednesday over Toledo.
• The Cardinals made a season-high 13 3-pointers, tying for the eighth most in a game in school history.
• Point guard Naiel Smith set season highs with seven assists and six steals. His six steals are tied for the most by a MAC player this season and are the most for a Cardinal since Melvin Goins had six against Toledo on Feb. 17, 2008.
• Ball State committed only six turnovers as a team, its lowest total against a Division I opponent since a five-turnover performance Feb. 4, 2012 against Miami.
• Sean Sellers missed the game with a leg injury and is listed as day-to-day. It was the first missed game of his career.
Beyond the ArcÂ
• Sophomore guard Francis Kiapway and junior forward Ryan Weber have accounted for 58 of Ball State's 110 3-pointers this season.
• Kiapway (30 for 65) ranks fourth in the MAC at 46.2 percent from deep, while Weber (28 for 61) ranks fifth in the league at 45.9 percent from beyond the arc.
• Both players are on pace to rank among the top marks in school history for 3-point percentage in a single season.
• Only once has Ball State had two players finish a season at better than 40 percent from beyond the arc (minimum 100 attempts) -- Randy Zachary (45.5) and Mark Hardwick (43.9) in 1993-94.
