Ball State University
University of Toledo
WBB Looks To Get Back On The Winning Track Wednesday At Home Against Toledo
January 05, 2021 | Women's Basketball
Ball State (3-4, 1-2 MAC) vs. Toledo (6-1, 2-1 MAC)
Muncie, Ind. | Worthen Arena
Watch: ESPN+Â | Listen:Â Muncie Sports Station (102.9 FM/1340 AM)Â |Â Live Stats
Game Notes: Â Ball State | Toledo
Opening Tip:
-Tonight's contest marks the 85th time in program history the two schools have met with Toledo leading the all-time series record, 57-27.
-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.
-Ball State has won 9 of the last 14 meetings against the Rockets dating back to the 2013-14 season.Â
-From 2013-14, Ball State had won six in a row over Toledo, marking it the longest win streak in program history over the Rockets. The Cardinals swept the regular season series against the   Rockets last year winning at Toledo on Feb. 12 by a score of 60-58 and then at home 66-60 on Feb. 26.
-Ball State is looking to get back on the winning track after falling to Bowling Green, 55-89, in Worthen Arena Saturday night. Toledo on the other hand is looking for their fourth-straight victory after defeating Akron, 65-57, in Savage Arena Saturday afternoon. Toledo owns a 24-16 record in games played in Muncie.
- Against the Falcons, senior forward Oshlynn Brown tallied her 35th double-double of her career with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Hot In January:
It may be cold outside but the Cardinals tend to get hot in the month of January under ninth-year head coach Brady Sallee. Sallee owns an overall record of 42-23 (.646) in the month of January dating back to his first season in 2012-13.Â
1,000 Points, 1,000 Rebounds:
Senior Oshlynn Brown currently has 1,123 career points and 866 rebounds. Brown needs 134 rebounds to hit 1,000. Brown will become only the second player in Ball State women's basketball history to reach 1,000 points and rebounds. Former Cardinal Emma Jones (1984-87) so far is the lone player in program history to get 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Scouting Toledo:
- Toledo opened the season winning six of their first seven contests for the fourth time under 13th-year head coach Tricia Cullop.Â
- Toledo is paced offensively by sophomore Sophia Wiard who is averaging 17.6 points per contest. Not far behind Wiard is sophomore Quinesha Lockett who scores 16.7 points per ball game. Leading the Rockets defensively is freshman Sammi Mikonowicz who is averaging 8.1 rebounds.
- The Cardinals and the Rockets have faced each other twice on this date (Jan. 6). Toledo has won both of the those matchups earning a 93-60 victory in Muncie during the 1995-96 season and then secured a 83-69 win in 1996-97 in Toledo.
Next Game:
The Ball State women's basketball team will return to the road in Mid-American Conference competition Saturday when it travels to Kent State for a noon tip-off in the M.A.C Center. Brady Sallee is no stranger to Kent State as he was an assistant coach for the Golden Flashes women's basketball team from 1995-2002. Saturday's game against Kent State will mark the 62nd time in program history the two schools have me with the Golden Flashes leading the all-time series, 39-22.
She's In The Bookers:
The Ball State women's basketball tipoff at Milwaukee got better as junior guard Essence Booker received an NCAA waiver to be immediately eligible for the 2020-21 season on Nov. 25.
"I'm really excited for Essence and appreciate all of Ryne Hillenberg's work towards making this possible," Ball State head women's basketball coach Brady Sallee said.
Booker, a 5-foot-8 guard, comes to Ball State after spending the last two seasons at the University of Nevada. She was one of the Wolfpack's top players last season, earning All-Mountain West honorable mention recognition and Mountain West Player of the Week accolades (Nov. 11). She started 30 games while leading Nevada in scoring (12.5 points per game) and total assists (73). Booker scored in doubles figures 21 times last season, including a stretch of 12 games in a row from Jan. 18-Feb. 27. She ended the year with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.2-to-1. Successful on and off the court, Booker was Mountain West Scholar-Athlete and a member of the Mountain West All-Academic Team while playing in 30 games as a true freshman. She owns 557 career points and will have two years of eligibility remaining at Ball State.
So far this season, she has played in all six games with six starts. She recently scored a season best 22 points at Bellarmine (12/14/20) and leads the Cardinals in scoring averaging 12.7 points per contest.
