Ball State University
Central Michigan University
Top MAC Teams Battle As WBB Hosts CMU Saturday In Worthen Arena
February 24, 2017 | Women's Basketball
Game #28 Central Michigan at Ball State
Date: Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017
Tipoff: 2 p.m. (EST)
Television: ESPN3
Listen: Muncie Sports Station 102.9 FM/1340 AM
Live Stats
Social Media: @ballstatesports, @bsucoachbrady, @BallStateWBB, #ChirpChirp
Game Notes: Ball State, Central Michigan
Cardinal Notes:
With only three Mid-American Conference regular season games remaining, the Ball State women's basketball team faces the top team in the league action Saturday when it hosts Central Michigan at 2 p.m. in Worthen Arena. The Cardinals are coming off of an 83-72 road victory at Western Michigan Wednesday in University Arena. Junior forward Moriah Monaco led the Cardinals in scoring with 24 points. The win at Western Michigan marked the sixth-straight the Cardinals have won on the road. Ball State is a bit of a road warrior, only losing one on the road this season in league play and that was against Central Michigan.
If the Mid-American Conference Tournament were to begin today, the Cardinals would be the No. 2 seed. Ball State enters today's contest with an overall mark of 19-8 and a 12-3 league ledger. To secure the automatic bye the Cardinals just need to win one out of their next three contests. Central Michigan would be the No. 1 seed with a 21-6 overall mark and a 13-2 conference record.
Sophomore guard Carmen Grande set the program record for single-season assists Wednesday night at Western Michigan after dishing out nine assists for the game. Grande now has 202 assists this season breaking the previous record of 197 which was held by former Cardinal Shala Crook since 2000.
After losing two-straight from Jan. 21-28 against Buffalo and Toledo, the Chippewas have been on a seven-game winning streak. Central Michigan is coming off of a 109-86 blow out at home against Northern Illinois Wednesday night McGuirk Arena. Presley Hudson led the Chippewas in scoring against the Huskies with 33 points. During conference action the Chippewas are 5-2 on the road.
Saturday's game against Central Michigan will mark the 74th time the teams have met, with the Chippewas leading the all-time series record, 38-36. Ball State lost both of its meetings to Central Michigan last season. From 1996-present the Cardinals own a 28-12 record over the Chippewas. Ball State's largest win streak against Central Michigan was 11 from 2000 thru 2006. In 2014-15, the Cardinals swept the series over the Chippewas winning at home, 73-64 on Feb. 18 and then clinched the MAC West Division title with an 85-69 win at Central Michigan on March 4. The Cardinals lost their first meeting to the Chippewas by a score of 101-92 on Jan. 11 in Mount Pleasant.
Next Game:
Ball State plays its last Mid-American Conference regular season road game at Eastern Michigan Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Convocation Center.
