Ball State University
Central Michigan University
Cardinals Host The Chippewas Wednesday As MAC Regular Comes To A Close
March 02, 2021 | Women's Basketball
The game against CMU will be the first of two contest at home for the Cardinals this week
Ball State (13-9, 11-7 MAC) vs. Central Michigan (13-8, 11-6 MAC)
Muncie, Ind. | Worthen Arena
Watch: ESPN3Â | Listen:Â Muncie Sports Station (102.9 FM/1340 AM)Â | Live Stats
Game Notes: Ball State | Central Michigan
Opening Tip:
• Senior forward Oshlynn Brown became the Cardinals' all-time leading rebounder at Northern Illinois on Feb. 24 at approximately the 3:06 mark of the first quarter. Brown ended the night with 12 rebounds and now has 1,038 for her career.
• Wednesday's game against Central Michigan will mark the 83rd time the teams have met, with the Chippewas leading the all-time series record, 43-39. The Cardinals have won the last two meetings against CMU including a 69-66 road win in Mount Pleasant, Mich. on Feb. 3.
 • Ball State is one of only two teams that were able to beat the Chippewas last year. The only other team to defeat CMU was Toledo.
• Ball State and Central Michigan first met in 1977-78 on Jan. 14 in Muncie, Ind., resulting in a 70-66 victory for the Cardinals.Â
• Ball State locked up its fate for the 2021 Mid-American Conference Tournament on Feb. 24 in its 82-79 win over Northern Illinois. The Cardinals have punched their ticket straight to Cleveland in the MAC Tournament seven out of nine times under Sallee.
• The Cardinals are coming off of an impressive 88-77 victory at Toledo on Saturday It was BSU's 11th road win of the season. Sophomore Sydney Freeman and teammate junior Thelma Dis Agustsdottir each had six 3-pointers a piece.Â
• CMU did not play last weekend due to COVID-19 protocals but the Chippewas had lost their last two prior to that against BGSU (76-67) and Toledo (72-67).
In The Nation:
Senior forward Oshlynn Brown currently ranks eighth in the nation in double-doubles (13), 10th in defensive rebounds per game (8.7), 12th in rebounds per game (11.9). Brown is also currently third on the list of active NCAA DI for career double-double leaders with 46. The Cardinals rank fourth in the nation in free throw attempts (520) and sixth in free throws made (362).
Isn't It Ironic:
History repeated itself. Brown grabbed the third rebound she needed to become Ball State women's basketball's all-time leading rebounder at NIU on Feb. 24 and ironically it was also the Huskies that the Cardinals were playing when former BSU forward Nathalie Fontaine (2012-16) broke the all-time scoring record at Ball State back on March 2, 2016.
Road Warriors:
Usually teams thrive when they play on their home courts but Ball State has always found success on the road as well. This year the Cardinals have won 11 of their 13 games on their oppositions home courts. So far, that's the best showing under ninth year head coach Brady Sallee. The Cardinals did win 10 on the road in both the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. This year, Ball State's defense is better on the road, holding its opponents on average to just 67 points per game but at home the Cardinals' opposition is scoring 82 points per contest. Another statistic that jumps out is rebounding at home and away, pulling down only 339 rebounds at home but BSU totals 493 on the road. Ball State also only shoots 42 percent in Worthen Arena this season but 46 percent on the road.
Where BSU Ranks In The MAC:
Senior forward Oshlynn Brown ranks first in rebounding in Mid-American Conference games only, averaging 12.3 per contest and is seventh in scoring with 19.9 ppg. Sophomore guard Sydney Freeman is third in assists (4.9 apg) while the team is first in field goal percentage (.460). Ball State is in fifth place right now in the current standings. With only two games left, if the MAC Tourney were to start today the Cardinals would play No. 4 Kent State in game two on Wednesday, March 11th at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
Ball State In The MAC Tourney:
This marks the 31st appearance for the Cardinals in the Mid-American Conference Tournament in program history. Ball State has advanced to Cleveland 19 out of the past 21 seasons. The Cardinals are 20-29 all-time in MAC Tournament play and have advanced to the MAC Tournament finals on five occasions. Ball State defeated Bowling Green in 2009 in the MAC Tournament Championship game. This is the seventh time in current head coach Brady Sallee's tenure the Cardinals have punched their ticket straight to the MAC Tournament in Cleveland. Prior to that, Ball State had not received a bye in the MAC Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse since 2009, when the Cardinals won the event as the No. 2 seed.Â
2021 MAC Tourney Information:
Since the Mid-American Conference did away with the MAC East and West Divisions this year, the upcoming MACÂ Tournament will no longer have first round play in games. Instead, the top eight teams will go straight to Cleveland. The quarterfinals will begin on March 10 at 11 a.m. in Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse with the semfinals being played on Friday, March 12 and then the championship game on Saturday, March 13 at 11 a.m. ET
