Ball State University Athletics
WBB Looks To Remain Unblemished In MAC Play At Home Against Toledo Wednesday
February 25, 2020 | Women's Basketball
The Cardinals are looking to improve to 8-0 in league action at Worthen Arena for the first time since the 2008-09 season
Ball State (18-8, 10-4 MAC) vs. Eastern Michigan (11-14, 6-8 MAC)
Muncie, Ind. | Worthen Arena
Watch: ESPN3 | Listen | Live Stats
Game Notes: Ball State | Toledo
Opening Tip:
- It will be two weeks exactly Wednesday when Ball State last faced Toledo in Savage Arena resulting in a close 60-58 victory for the Cardinals. Tonight's contest marks the 84th time in program history the two schools have met with Toledo leading the all-time series record, 57-26.
- The Cardinals look to remain undefeated in MAC action at home against the Rockets.
- Ball State and Toledo's first meeting ever was in 1980-81, that year the Cardinals defeated the Rockets by a score of 63-47.
- From 2013-17, Ball State had won six in a row over Toledo, marking it the longest win streak in program history over the Rockets. The Cardinals last defeated Toledo at home in 2017-18 by a score of 78-73 on Feb. 24 in Worthen Arena.
- Both teams are looking to get back on the winning track, as Ball State fell 58-61 Saturday at Eastern Michigan. After losing to the Cardinals, the Rockets have lost four straight. Toledo recently fell 58-70 at home to Western Michigan on Saturday.
- With only four games remaining in Mid-American Conference regular season action, the Cardinals still stand in third place overall and second in the MAC West Division. Ball State and Ohio each have a 10-4 league ledger but the Bobcats win the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Cardinals. Central Michigan still remains undefeated in MAC action with a 14-0 record. You need to be a top four seed in order to get a first round bye to the upcoming 2020 Mid-American Conference Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio (March 9-14).
Brown Scores 1,000th Point:
At exactly the 9:31 mark of the third quarter, Brown hit a layup for her 1,000th career point as a Cardinal, becoming the 28th member to join the elite club. Prior to the contest Brown was in need of only six points to reach the 1,000 point plateau.
- Under the direction of eighth year Ball State head women's coach Brady Sallee seven Cardinals have scored at least 1,000 points … Nathalie Fontaine (2,166), Moriah Monaco (1,606), Renee Bennett (1,246), Jill Morrison (1,170), Brandy Woody (1,071), Shelbie Justice (1,067) and Oshlynn Brown (1,005).
Home Sweet Home:
John E. Worthen Arena has been very good to the Cardinals for the past decade. Ball State has a record of 147-75 (.649) at Worthen Arena from 2004-present. In eight seasons Brady Sallee has compiled a 79-39 (.667) record in Worthen Arena. His best season at home was in 2017-18 when the Cardinals went 15-3 in Muncie. This year the Cardinals own a 10-1 ledger in Worthen Arena and a 7-0 league mark.
Samz Nears 1,000th Point:
Graduate senior Jasmin Samz is nearing the 1,000th career point mark. She needs 17 for 1,000 career points which includes eight points from her previous school St. Louis. To be etched in the Ball State 1,000 point club, Samz needs 25 points as she currently has 975 career points at Ball State.
Scouting Toledo:
- For the 12th season, the Rockets are led by head coach Tricia Cullop who is a 1993 graduate of Purdue University. Cullop came to Toledo after spending eights years as the head coach of Evansville. Cullop owns an overall coaching record of 375-248 (.602).
- Toledo has also won five of the last seven meetings between the two programs.
- If the MAC tourney were to start today, Toledo is currently tied for seventh place with Akron (13-12, 6-8 MAC) in the overall MAC standings with only four regular-season contests remaining. The Rockets have the tiebreaker against the Zips, winning a 65-61 home victory on Jan. 15.
- Toledo has claimed two of the last three games in Worthen Arena against Ball State while holding a 24-15 advantage versus the Cardinals in Muncie.
- Last year Toledo earned a 63-63 victory in Worthen Arena over the Cardinals on Feb. 23.
