Friday, November 16
Charleston, S.C.
1:30 PM ET
Ball State University
vs
Alabama
Photo by: Tim Cowie Photography
Men’s Hoops Faces Third Straight NCAA Tourney Team Friday Afternoon
November 16, 2018 | Men's Basketball
Cardinals square off with Alabama on ESPNU at Charleston Classic
Game 4
Ball State (1-2) vs. Alabama (2-1)
Charleston Classic
Friday, Nov. 16 (1:30 p.m. ET)
Watch: ESPNU | Listen: 96.7/104.9 | Live Stats
Setting the Stage
• Ball State will face Alabama, its third straight opponent that is either ranked or receiving votes, in a consolation game at the Charleston Classic.
• The Cardinals are coming off back-to-back nine-point defeats to No. 24/22 Purdue and No. 16/17 Virginia Tech. Tayler Persons led the Cardinals in scoring in both games and is averaging a team-best 18.7 points per game through three contests.
• Alabama, which is receiving votes in the AP and coaches' polls, suffered a 68-52 loss to Northeastern in its first game in Charleston. John Petty led the Crimson Tide with 17 points in the loss.
What's Trending
• Alabama marks the third straight Ball State opponent that played in last year's NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide reached the second round last year, defeating Virginia Tech before falling to No. 1 seed and eventual national champion Villanova. The Cardinals could potentially see another tournament team in their third game in Charleston and are guaranteed to see another on a Dec. 5 trip to 2018 Final Four participant Loyola-Chicago.
• The winner of Friday's game will square off Sunday with either Appalachian State or Wichita State in the fifth-place game. The loser will meet one of those squads for seventh place.
• Four current Ball State players -- Tayler Persons, Trey Moses, Tahjai Teague and Kyle Mallers -- were on the floor the last time the Cardinals met Alabama in 2016. Alabama won that game 77-59 in Tuscaloosa. Four current Crimson Tide players saw action in that game -- Dazon Ingram, Avery Johnson Jr., Donta Hall and Riley Norris.
• Ball State is limiting opponents to 28.6 percent shooting from 3-point range through three games. Alabama is shooting 28.8 percent from deep.
• Ball State stayed at No. 99 in Ken Pomeroy's rating after Thursday's loss to Virginia Tech. It is the highest the Cardinals have been since finishing the 2004-05 season at No. 96. BSU is the second-highest rated team in the Mid-American Conference behind Buffalo (47). Buffalo is No. 25 in this week's AP poll.
• Junior forward Kyle Mallers scored a career-high 19 points in Thursday's loss to Virginia Tech. He made a career-best five 3-pointers, finishing 5-of-12 from deep. Mallers scored 25 points in the Cardinals' exhibition win over the University of Indianapolis.
Ball State (1-2) vs. Alabama (2-1)
Charleston Classic
Friday, Nov. 16 (1:30 p.m. ET)
Watch: ESPNU | Listen: 96.7/104.9 | Live Stats
Setting the Stage
• Ball State will face Alabama, its third straight opponent that is either ranked or receiving votes, in a consolation game at the Charleston Classic.
• The Cardinals are coming off back-to-back nine-point defeats to No. 24/22 Purdue and No. 16/17 Virginia Tech. Tayler Persons led the Cardinals in scoring in both games and is averaging a team-best 18.7 points per game through three contests.
• Alabama, which is receiving votes in the AP and coaches' polls, suffered a 68-52 loss to Northeastern in its first game in Charleston. John Petty led the Crimson Tide with 17 points in the loss.
What's Trending
• Alabama marks the third straight Ball State opponent that played in last year's NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide reached the second round last year, defeating Virginia Tech before falling to No. 1 seed and eventual national champion Villanova. The Cardinals could potentially see another tournament team in their third game in Charleston and are guaranteed to see another on a Dec. 5 trip to 2018 Final Four participant Loyola-Chicago.
• The winner of Friday's game will square off Sunday with either Appalachian State or Wichita State in the fifth-place game. The loser will meet one of those squads for seventh place.
• Four current Ball State players -- Tayler Persons, Trey Moses, Tahjai Teague and Kyle Mallers -- were on the floor the last time the Cardinals met Alabama in 2016. Alabama won that game 77-59 in Tuscaloosa. Four current Crimson Tide players saw action in that game -- Dazon Ingram, Avery Johnson Jr., Donta Hall and Riley Norris.
• Ball State is limiting opponents to 28.6 percent shooting from 3-point range through three games. Alabama is shooting 28.8 percent from deep.
• Ball State stayed at No. 99 in Ken Pomeroy's rating after Thursday's loss to Virginia Tech. It is the highest the Cardinals have been since finishing the 2004-05 season at No. 96. BSU is the second-highest rated team in the Mid-American Conference behind Buffalo (47). Buffalo is No. 25 in this week's AP poll.
• Junior forward Kyle Mallers scored a career-high 19 points in Thursday's loss to Virginia Tech. He made a career-best five 3-pointers, finishing 5-of-12 from deep. Mallers scored 25 points in the Cardinals' exhibition win over the University of Indianapolis.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballSports Link: Meet the Cards (Devon Barnes)
Monday, November 03
Sports Link: Meet the Cards (Juwan Maxey)
Saturday, November 01
Sports Link: Meet the Cards (Elmore James IV)
Friday, October 31
This Week in Ball State Sports Podcast // Mike Uremovich, Tayler Persons, and Andy Stoots
Thursday, October 30