Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Bellarmine University
WBB Closes Out Non-Conference Portion of Its Schedule At Home Against Bellarmine Monday
December 18, 2021 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 20 | Muncie, Ind. | Worthen Arena | 6:30 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPN3 | Listen: Muncie Sports Station (102.9 FM/1340 AM) | Live Stats
Game Notes: Ball State | Bellarmine
Opening Tip:
This is the second-ever meeting between the Cardinals and the Knights. Ball State and Bellarmine first faced off last year in Louisville, Ky. on Dec. 14, 2020 resulting in a 98-42 victory for the Cardinals.
Ball State is looking to extend its win streak to three against Bellarmine. The Cardinals are coming hot off victories against IUPUI (73-67) and Utah State (81-55).
The Cardinals made history in Worthen Arena against Utah State on Dec. 11 as Ball State broke the program's 3-point record after knocking down 16 3-point baskets which were led by both junior Sydney Freeman and senior Thelma Dis Agustsdottir, who each had four from behind the arc.
In 10 years, Brady Sallee owns a 34-21 (.611) record in the month of December with his best season being a 5-1 ledger in 2017-18.
The Cardinals are 2-0 under Brady Sallee on Dec. 20. Ball State defeated New Mexico 70-57 in 2019 on this date and Akron by a score of 67-60 on Dec. 20, 2020.
Save the dates for Ball State Basketball's "Take a Kid to a Game" days at Worthen Arena. With one paid adult ticket purchased, two kids 13-and-under will receive a complimentary ticket. That offer is available for the following home men's and women's basketball games: Monday, Dec. 20 at 6:30, Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Dec. 29 at 6:30 p.m. ET and Saturday, Jan. 1 vs. Bowling Green at 6 p.m. ET.
In the Nation In 3's:
The Cardinals currently rank 15th in the nation among its Division I peers in 3-point field goals per game (9.2). Ball State also ranks in the top-25 in 3-point field goal attempts coming in at 21 with 269 and 35th in the nation for total 3-pointers with 83.
Agustsdottir Nearing 1,000 Career Points:
Ball State senior crasher Thelma Dis Agustsdottir is nearing the 1,000 career point plateau. Agustsdottir currently has 973 points and needs 27 points to become the 30th member of the 1,000 point club and the ninth under head coach Brady Sallee.
Backs, Crashers & Keys:
This year, the Cardinals are forgoing "traditional" positions and using their own such as backs, crashers, and keys, to bring a sense of team unity. That system proved to be the lift Ball State needed, especially with so many new faces on the court. BSU started the season 2-0 for the first time since 2017.
Here We Go Again:
Here we go again, the Cardinals are off to a good start with one of head coach Brady Sallee's favorite statistical categories on the box score. What is that you might ask? well it is points in the paint. Over the course of Sallee's ten years at Ball State this category is one of his all time favorites. Ball State won the points in the paint over Milwaukee 40-38, Butler 30-18, Saint Joseph's 38-26 , PFW 38-32 and IUPUI 44-28.
Ball Control:
In the Cardinals last three contests Ball State has been able limit its turnovers against its opponents. Against Purdue Fort Wayne, the Cardinals only committed 12 turnovers and then mimicked that type of performance against Pitt with a season low nine miscues. Currently the Cardinals assist/turnover ratio is 1.19 which is good for a national ranking of 32.
Next Game:
After today's contest, the Cardinals will enjoy some time off for the holiday break and will then return to the court on Jan. 29 for their Mid-American Conference opener at home against Western Michigan. The game is slated for a 6:30 p.m. ET tipoff. The Cardinals have hosted the Broncos in their MAC opener a total of four times with Ball State owning a 3-1 record over WMU in those meetings. The game against Western Michigan will mark the 88th time in program history the two schools have met with Ball State leading the series record, 48-39.
Scouting Bellarmine:
- Bellarmine is one of four schools that joined the Division I in 2020-21, a list that also includes Tarleton State, UC San Diego and Dixie State.
- Bellarmine had competed in Division II and was a founding member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, where women's basketball had been a member since 1982-83.
- Bellarmine is now part of the ASUN Conference.
- Before entering D1, Bellarmine made 16 appearances in the NCAA II Tournament, starting with a 1986 campaign that concluded in the Elite Eight. That was the first of four Elite Eight showings for the Knights, who also advanced to the national quarterfi- nals in 1990, 1991 and 1994. The latter squad earned a berth in the Final Four. and was inducted into the Bellarmine Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. The Knights earned two NCAA II Tournament bids under current Coach Chancellor Dugan, making back-to-back appearances in "The Big Dance" in 2016 and 2017.
