Saturday, February 16
Muncie, Ind.
2:00 PM ET
Ball State University
vs
Akron
Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
Men’s Basketball Looks for Three Straight When Akron Visits Saturday
February 14, 2019 | Men's Basketball
Cardinals won both meetings last season, including record-setting affair in Muncie
Game 25
Ball State (13-11, 4-7 MAC) vs. Akron (14-10, 6-5 MAC)
Saturday, Feb. 16 (2 p.m.)
Muncie Ind. (Worthen Arena)
Watch: ESPN3 | Listen: 96.7/104.9 | Live Stats
Setting the Stage
• Ball State returns from its bye week to host Akron in a matchup of top-100 teams. The Cardinals enter the contest at No. 100 on ESPN's BPI rankings, while the Zips are the nation's No. 100 team according to Ken Pomeroy. Akron split two games at home last week, handily defeating arch rival Kent State and then falling to No. 25 Buffalo, 76-70.
• Ball State has been off since its 79-59 victory last Saturday over Western Michigan. The Cardinals are riding back-to-back wins for the first time in Mid-American Conference play and looking for a third straight victory in the series with Akron. Despite its slow start to league play, the Cardinals enter Saturday's action just one game out of second place in the West Division standings.
About the Matchup
• Ball State faces an Akron team that leads the MAC in scoring defense, allowing only 62.5 points per game (14th nationally), and ranks second in field goal percentage defense at 40.5 percent. Offensively, the Zips have attempted the most 3-pointers of any team in the league at more than 28 per game. Akron features four double-figure scorers, led by three players averaging within one point of each other: Daniel Utomi (13.9), Loren Cristian Jackson (13.7) and Jimond Ivey (13.2).
• Ball State won both meetings between the teams last year, snapping a 15-game Akron winning streak in the series and sweeping a season series the Zips for the first time since 2004. The matchup in Muncie went to double-overtime, setting a Worthen Arena record for combined points (217) in a 111-106 Ball State victory. Akron's Jimond Ivey broke the individual arena record with 48 points. Ball State's 111 points were the third-most in arena history, while the Cardinals had three 20-point scorers for the first time in 13 years -- Tahjai Teague (26), Tayler Persons (26) and Trey Moses (22).
• In Ball State's two wins over Akron last season, Trey Moses and Tahjai Teague combined for 91 points and 46 rebounds, with both players posting double-doubles in both games.
What's Trending
• Junior forward Kyle Mallers led Ball State with a career-high 22 points and a career-best six 3-pointers in last Saturday's win over Western Michigan. He also pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds for his third career double-double.
• Sophomore forward Brachen Hazen (back) made his return to the court against WMU after missing 16 games. He scored 11 points and connected on 3-of-6 from 3-point range. The Cardinals have also been without sophomore guard Ishmael El-Amin (wrist) for the past 12 games.
• With eight rebounds last Saturday against Western Michigan, senior center Trey Moses passed former teammate Franko House for sixth on Ball State's all-time rebounding list with 845. He needs 38 more to pass Theron Smith (882) and crack the top 5.
Ball State (13-11, 4-7 MAC) vs. Akron (14-10, 6-5 MAC)
Saturday, Feb. 16 (2 p.m.)
Muncie Ind. (Worthen Arena)
Watch: ESPN3 | Listen: 96.7/104.9 | Live Stats
Setting the Stage
• Ball State returns from its bye week to host Akron in a matchup of top-100 teams. The Cardinals enter the contest at No. 100 on ESPN's BPI rankings, while the Zips are the nation's No. 100 team according to Ken Pomeroy. Akron split two games at home last week, handily defeating arch rival Kent State and then falling to No. 25 Buffalo, 76-70.
• Ball State has been off since its 79-59 victory last Saturday over Western Michigan. The Cardinals are riding back-to-back wins for the first time in Mid-American Conference play and looking for a third straight victory in the series with Akron. Despite its slow start to league play, the Cardinals enter Saturday's action just one game out of second place in the West Division standings.
About the Matchup
• Ball State faces an Akron team that leads the MAC in scoring defense, allowing only 62.5 points per game (14th nationally), and ranks second in field goal percentage defense at 40.5 percent. Offensively, the Zips have attempted the most 3-pointers of any team in the league at more than 28 per game. Akron features four double-figure scorers, led by three players averaging within one point of each other: Daniel Utomi (13.9), Loren Cristian Jackson (13.7) and Jimond Ivey (13.2).
• Ball State won both meetings between the teams last year, snapping a 15-game Akron winning streak in the series and sweeping a season series the Zips for the first time since 2004. The matchup in Muncie went to double-overtime, setting a Worthen Arena record for combined points (217) in a 111-106 Ball State victory. Akron's Jimond Ivey broke the individual arena record with 48 points. Ball State's 111 points were the third-most in arena history, while the Cardinals had three 20-point scorers for the first time in 13 years -- Tahjai Teague (26), Tayler Persons (26) and Trey Moses (22).
• In Ball State's two wins over Akron last season, Trey Moses and Tahjai Teague combined for 91 points and 46 rebounds, with both players posting double-doubles in both games.
What's Trending
• Junior forward Kyle Mallers led Ball State with a career-high 22 points and a career-best six 3-pointers in last Saturday's win over Western Michigan. He also pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds for his third career double-double.
• Sophomore forward Brachen Hazen (back) made his return to the court against WMU after missing 16 games. He scored 11 points and connected on 3-of-6 from 3-point range. The Cardinals have also been without sophomore guard Ishmael El-Amin (wrist) for the past 12 games.
• With eight rebounds last Saturday against Western Michigan, senior center Trey Moses passed former teammate Franko House for sixth on Ball State's all-time rebounding list with 845. He needs 38 more to pass Theron Smith (882) and crack the top 5.
Players Mentioned
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