Ball State University
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Western Michigan University
WBB Will Celebrate Senior Day Saturday Against WMU For Last Regular Season Game
March 05, 2021 | Women's Basketball
Ball State (13-10, 11-8 MAC) vs. Western Michigan (6-14, 5-13 MAC)
Muncie, Ind. | Worthen Arena
Watch: ESPN3Â | Listen:Â Muncie Sports Station (102.9 FM/1340 AM)Â |Â Live Stats
Game Notes: Ball State | Western MichiganÂ
Opening Tip:
• 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.
• Saturday's game against Western Michigan will mark the 87th time in program history the two schools have met with Ball State leading the series record, 47-39. BSU won its first meeting over WMU by a 78-71 decision on Jan. 30, 2021 in Read Fieldhouse. The Cardinals have won three straight over the Broncos.
• Ball State owns a 27-8 ledger over Western Michigan dating back to the 2004-05 season. Brady Sallee holds an 14-4 career mark against the Broncos.
• The Cardinals wrapped up their MAC regular season last year at Western Michigan resulting in a 64-63 overtime victory for BSU on March 7, 2020. Since 2012-13, the Cardinals own a 5-3 ledger in their last regular season game.
• Ball State will look to bounce back after suffering a heartbreaking 81-87 double overtime loss Wednesday night in Worthen Arena against Central Michigan. The dynamic duo of senior forward Oshlynn Brown and redshirt sophomore guard Anna Clephane combined for over half of Ball State's 81 points.
• Western Michigan is coming off of a 82-73 loss against Toledo on Wednesday in Kalamazoo, Mich. Saturday's game at BSU will be the last game of the 2021 season for the Broncos as they did not make it to next week's 2021 MAC Tourney.Â
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 47 and fourth in total rebounds 1,067. 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.
1,000 Points, 1,000 Rebounds:
Senior Oshlynn Brown currently has 1,459 career points and 1,067 rebounds. Brown hit the 1,000 rebound plataeu at Miami on Feb. 13 to 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) is the only other player in program history to get 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Jones was the first-ever women's basketball player to be inducted in the Ball State Athletics Hall of Fame.
Where BSU Ranks In The MAC:
Senior forward Oshlynn Brown ranks first in rebounding in Mid-American Conference games only, averaging 12.6 per contest and is seventh in scoring with 20.3 ppg. Sophomore guard Sydney Freeman is third in assists (4.7 apg) while the team is secod in field goal percentage (.453). Ball State is in seventh place right now in the current standings. With only one game left, if the MAC Tourney were to start today the Cardinals would play No. 2 Central Michigan in game three on Wednesday, March 11th at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
MAC Tourney Time:
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
Scouting Western Michigan:
• Shane Clipfell first year as the head coach of the Broncos was also Brady Sallee's first year at Ball State. Clipfell was familiar with the MAC as he was an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan for nine seasons. Prior to Western Michigan, Clipfell was an assistant coach at Michigan State. Clipfell's best season with the Broncos was in 2014-15, leading WMU to an overall record of 20-13 and an 11-7 MAC ledger.
• The Broncos are led by Reilly Jacobson who is averaging 15.9 points and 6.9 rebounds currently right now for WMU. Behind her is Sydney Shafer who tends to be a spark off of the bench for the Broncos with 14.0 ppg. Taylor Williams rounds out the double digit scoring, starting in all 20 games averaging 12.3 points for WMU.
• The Broncos had been on a three-game win streak until their loss to the Rockets on Wednesday. Ball State will have to defend the 3-point line against WMU because that is a statistical category the Broncos have excelled in all season. WMU made 12-three pointers against NIU and 11 against EMU. WMU has reached double figures from behind the arc five times this season.
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