Saturday, November 24
Muncie, Ind.
2:00 PM ET
Ball State University
vs
Evansville
Photo by: Tim Cowie Photography
Men’s Basketball Renews Old Rivalry with Evansville Saturday at Worthen
November 22, 2018 | Men's Basketball
Cardinals, Aces square off for first meeting in 10 years, third in 40, and first of two in 16 days
Game 6
Ball State (2-3) vs. Evansville (2-2)
Saturday, Nov. 24 (2 p.m.)
Muncie, Ind. (Worthen Arena)
Watch: ESPN3 | Listen: 96.7/104.9 | Live Stats
Toys for Tots Collection: Bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate and receive a specially-priced $6 (bronze section) or $10 (silver) ticket
Setting the Stage
• Ball State and Evansville will meet for the first time in 10 years and just the third time in the past 40. The teams will actually meet twice in a 16-day period, with the Cardinals making a Dec. 9 return trip to Evansville.
• Ball State went 1-2 at last week's Charleston Classic, falling to 2018 NCAA Tournament teams Virginia Tech and Alabama and then bouncing back to defeat Appalachian State in overtime. Tayler Persons averaged 20.0 points and 5.3 assists over the three games, including a 29-point, seven-assist effort in Sunday's victory.
• Evansville, after a big opening loss at Illinois, bounced back to play Xavier within six points and then post home wins over Kentucky Wesleyan and Texas Southern.
What's Trending
• Ball State's strength of schedule ranks 44th among the 351 NCAA Division I teams according to Ken Pomeroy. The Cardinals have already played three NCAA Tournament teams from last year, all of whom were either ranked or receiving votes -- Purdue (No. 24/22), Virginia Tech (16/17) and Alabama (RV/RV). BSU will play one more on a Dec. 5 trip to 2018 Final Four team Loyola Chicago.
• Saturday's game with Evansville marks the second of five games against the Missouri Valley Conference on Ball State's schedule. The Cardinals opened with a win over Indiana State. In December, BSU will visit Loyola Chicago and Valparaiso plus pay a return trip to Evansville. KenPom rates the MVC at No. 11 among the 32 Division I leagues and the MAC at No. 12.
• Ball State's two games versus Evansville this year mark the first time since 2012 the Cardinals have scheduled the same non-conference opponent twice in a season. BSU played South Dakota that year in back-to-back games, winning in Muncie and in Vermillion, South Dakota.
• The Cardinals will face the challenge of defending an Evansville team that is averaging 87.3 points over its past three games and features five double-figure scorers, led by Shea Feehan at 15.0 points per game. The Purple Aces rank among the top 20 nationally with 11.0 3-pointers per game and are shooting 39.6 percent from deep. BSU is holding opponents to 31.2 percent beyond the arc.
• Ball State is the second-highest rated team in the MAC at No. 108 in the KenPom ratings. Only defending league champion Buffalo (49) is higher. The Cardinals have been as high as No. 98 this season, the best they have been since finishing the 2004-05 campaign at No. 96.
• Ball State's overtime win Sunday over Appalachian State was the Cardinals' ninth win in their past 11 overtime games, dating back to the start of the 2015-16 season.
• Tayler Persons went 12-for-12 at the foul line against Appalachian State, becoming the third BSU player in the past four years to attempt at least 10 free throws in a game and make them all. Franko House was 13-for-13 at Miami in February 2016, and Kyle Mallers was 10-for-10 at Oregon last season. Persons scored 10 of his team-high 29 points in overtime, including six at the stripe.
• Ball State racked up 20 blocked shots over three games at the Charleston Classic. That was 12 more than any of the other seven teams in the event. Trey Moses matched his career high with four blocks against both Alabama and Appalachian State in Charleston on the way to 11 total blocks, five more than any other player in the tournament and three more than any of the other teams.
• Sophomore guard Ishmael El-Amin has made a 3-pointer in every game this season and has made two in every game but one. He is shooting 45 percent from beyond the arc, nearly 13 percentage points better than his freshman season a year ago.
Ball State (2-3) vs. Evansville (2-2)
Saturday, Nov. 24 (2 p.m.)
Muncie, Ind. (Worthen Arena)
Watch: ESPN3 | Listen: 96.7/104.9 | Live Stats
Toys for Tots Collection: Bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate and receive a specially-priced $6 (bronze section) or $10 (silver) ticket
Setting the Stage
• Ball State and Evansville will meet for the first time in 10 years and just the third time in the past 40. The teams will actually meet twice in a 16-day period, with the Cardinals making a Dec. 9 return trip to Evansville.
• Ball State went 1-2 at last week's Charleston Classic, falling to 2018 NCAA Tournament teams Virginia Tech and Alabama and then bouncing back to defeat Appalachian State in overtime. Tayler Persons averaged 20.0 points and 5.3 assists over the three games, including a 29-point, seven-assist effort in Sunday's victory.
• Evansville, after a big opening loss at Illinois, bounced back to play Xavier within six points and then post home wins over Kentucky Wesleyan and Texas Southern.
What's Trending
• Ball State's strength of schedule ranks 44th among the 351 NCAA Division I teams according to Ken Pomeroy. The Cardinals have already played three NCAA Tournament teams from last year, all of whom were either ranked or receiving votes -- Purdue (No. 24/22), Virginia Tech (16/17) and Alabama (RV/RV). BSU will play one more on a Dec. 5 trip to 2018 Final Four team Loyola Chicago.
• Saturday's game with Evansville marks the second of five games against the Missouri Valley Conference on Ball State's schedule. The Cardinals opened with a win over Indiana State. In December, BSU will visit Loyola Chicago and Valparaiso plus pay a return trip to Evansville. KenPom rates the MVC at No. 11 among the 32 Division I leagues and the MAC at No. 12.
• Ball State's two games versus Evansville this year mark the first time since 2012 the Cardinals have scheduled the same non-conference opponent twice in a season. BSU played South Dakota that year in back-to-back games, winning in Muncie and in Vermillion, South Dakota.
• The Cardinals will face the challenge of defending an Evansville team that is averaging 87.3 points over its past three games and features five double-figure scorers, led by Shea Feehan at 15.0 points per game. The Purple Aces rank among the top 20 nationally with 11.0 3-pointers per game and are shooting 39.6 percent from deep. BSU is holding opponents to 31.2 percent beyond the arc.
• Ball State is the second-highest rated team in the MAC at No. 108 in the KenPom ratings. Only defending league champion Buffalo (49) is higher. The Cardinals have been as high as No. 98 this season, the best they have been since finishing the 2004-05 campaign at No. 96.
• Ball State's overtime win Sunday over Appalachian State was the Cardinals' ninth win in their past 11 overtime games, dating back to the start of the 2015-16 season.
• Tayler Persons went 12-for-12 at the foul line against Appalachian State, becoming the third BSU player in the past four years to attempt at least 10 free throws in a game and make them all. Franko House was 13-for-13 at Miami in February 2016, and Kyle Mallers was 10-for-10 at Oregon last season. Persons scored 10 of his team-high 29 points in overtime, including six at the stripe.
• Ball State racked up 20 blocked shots over three games at the Charleston Classic. That was 12 more than any of the other seven teams in the event. Trey Moses matched his career high with four blocks against both Alabama and Appalachian State in Charleston on the way to 11 total blocks, five more than any other player in the tournament and three more than any of the other teams.
• Sophomore guard Ishmael El-Amin has made a 3-pointer in every game this season and has made two in every game but one. He is shooting 45 percent from beyond the arc, nearly 13 percentage points better than his freshman season a year ago.
Players Mentioned
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