Ball State University
Central Michigan
WBB Closes Out Its MAC Home Regular Season Saturday Against West Division Rival CMU On Senior Day
February 28, 2020 | Women's Basketball
The Cardinals look to remain undefeated at home in league action against the Chippewas
Ball State (19-8, 11-4 MAC) vs. Central Michigan (22-4, 15-0 MAC)
Muncie, Ind. | Worthen Arena
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Game Notes: Ball State | Central Michigan
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Opening Tip:
- Ball State returns to Worthen Arena on Saturday for its final regular season home game against MAC West Division Champion Central Michigan. Today's contest is part two of the two-game MAC West Division series, Ball State fell at the start of league play to the Chippewas in their first meeting, 39-66 on Jan. 15 in Mt. Pleasant.
- Central Michigan enters today's contest with a No. 15 RPI ranking, the highest ranking the Cardinals have hosted this season. CMU also comes to Worthen Arena having already been crowned the 2020 MAC regular and west division champions after its 76-60 win over Western Michigan Wednesday. Ball State is third in the MAC in RPI with at 68.
- The Cardinals will look to protect their home court again Saturday after earning a 66-60 victory at home over Toledo on Feb. 26. With the win, Ball State remains undefeated in MAC play at home with an 8-0 ledger. A win over the Chippewas would give BSU a 9-0 finish in league play in John E. Worthen Arena for the first time in program history. The best home conference finish for BSU prior to this season was 8-0 in 2008-09.
- Saturday's game against Central Michigan will mark the 81st time the teams have met, with the Chippewas leading the all-time series record, 43-37. CMU has won the last five meetings over the Cardinals. The last time Ball State defeated Central Michigan at home on Feb. 25, 2017 was by a score of 81-73.
- A Ball State win today will lock up the automatic bye for BSU to the upcoming 2020 Mid-American Conference Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cardinals will advance straight to the quarterfinal game depending on the outcome of the next three contests. If the tournament were to start today the Cardinals would be the No. 2 seed overall with the second best record in the MAC at 11-4.
Samz Nears 1,000th Point Mark:
- Graduate senior Jasmin Samz is nearing the 1,000th career point mark. She needs nine for 1,000 career points which includes nine points from her previous school St. Louis. To be etched in the Ball State 1,000 point club, Samz needs 18 points as she currently has 982 career points just at Ball State.
Senior Day:
- The Cardinals will pay tribute to their three seniors Arbrie "Deuce" Benson, Jasmin Samz and Aliyah Walker prior to today's contest against the Chippewas. All three seniors have played a big role in the Cardinals present and past success. Deuce will be graduating this May from Ball State with a degree in telecommunications while Samz and Walker both earned their degrees last summer and are currently works on their masters.
One Until 20:
- The Cardinals are just one win away from another 20-win season. If Ball State reaches 20 wins, eigth year head coach Brady Sallee will become the only head coach in program history to have four 20-win seasons —21-9 (2015-16), 21-10 (2016-17) and 25-8 (2017-18).
Home Sweet Home:
John E. Worthen Arena has been very good to the Cardinals for the past decade. Ball State has a record of 148-75 (.649) at Worthen Arena from 2004-present. In eight seasons Brady Sallee has compiled a 80-39 (.667)Â 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 an 11-1 ledger in Worthen Arena and a 8-0 league mark.
Scouting the Chippewas:
-Longtime head coach Sue Guevara retired from he helm of the Chippewas last spring so naturally Central Michigan then promoted longtime assistant coach Heather Oesterle as CMU's next head coach. Oesterle has had a successful first season leading the Chippewas to their fourth consecutive Mid-American Conference regular-season title and fifth-straight MAC West crown which CMU locked up on Wednesday with its 76-60 win in Mount Pleasant over Western Michigan.
- Ball State and Northern Illinois are the only two MAC schools that have held Central Michigan to their lowest scoring in league action which was 66 points.
- Central Michigan has three players right now that are averaging double digit scoring with Micaela Kelly leading the pack with 21.8 points per game while Molly Davis come in second chipping in 14.5 points per contest. Rounding out the double digit scoring is Kyra Bussell with 14.4 ppg and leading the Chippewas defensively, pulling down 7.3 rebounds a game.
- If Central Michigan finishes the season unbeaten in MAC regular season action, it will be the first time since 2005-06 when Bowling Green accomplished that goal. It has only happened five times between three schools; Bowling Green (2005-06, 1988-89 & 1986-87), Kent State (1997-98) when Ball State eighth year head coach was an assistant for the Golden Flashes and Central Michigan (1983-84).
