Ball State University
#3 Ohio University
Women's Basketball Quest For A MAC Title Begins Wednesday In Cleveland Against No. 3 Ohio
March 09, 2021 | Women's Basketball
The No. 6 seeded Cardinals will take on No. 3 Ohio in game four of the quarterfinals in Rocket Mortgage Field House Wednesday
No. 6 Ball State (14-10)Â vs. No. 3 Ohio (13-7)
Cleveland, Ohio | Rocket Mortgage Field House
Watch: ESPN+Â | Listen:Â Muncie Sports Station (102.9 FM/1340 AM)Â | Live Stats
Game Notes: Ball State | Ohio
Tournament Information: 2021 MAC Tournament Bracket |Â 2021 MAC Tournament Page
Note: Ball State and Ohio have never met in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. The winner of tonight's game will advance to the semifinals on Friday, March 12 in game No. 6 against the winner of Wednesday's quarterfinal game No. 2 between the No. 2 seeded Central Michigan Chippewas vs. the No. 7 seed Northern Illinois Huskies.
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Opening Tip:
- A Ball State win will advance the Cardinals to the semifinal round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament Friday for the first time since the 2015 season. That year Ball State fell to No. 6 Eastern Michigan, 75-65.
- This is the first time the Cardinals have been the No. 6 seed under ninth-year head coach Brady Sallee and only the second time in tournament history. The last time BSU was the No. 6 seed was in 2000. That year Ball State defeated No. 11 Central Michigan, 94-81 in the first round and then lost in the quarterfinals to No. 3 Toledo, 81-65.
- The No. 6 seed has won the MAC Tournament only once since the tournaments induction in 1982. That team was No. 6 Toledo which defeated the No. 4 seed Northern Illinois in the championship game in 2017 by score of 82-71.
- Ball State ended its 2020-21 regular season campaign with a 76-69 win over Western Michigan in Worthen Arena on March 6.Â
- The Cardinals are one of only three Mid-American Conference women's basketball teams to have played all 20 of their league contests this season. The other two schools were Miami and Toledo.
- Ball State and Ohio split its two-game regular season series with the Cardinals defeating the Bobcats on Jan. 13 in overtime, 88-85 at the Convocation Center. The Bobcats then returned the favor in Worthen Arena on Feb. 10 defeating BSU, 88-66.
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 Field House since 2009, when the Cardinals won the event as the No. 2 seed.Â
Last Time They Met In the MAC Tourney:
- No. 5 Ball State 73, No. 1 Bowling Green 55 (2014 MAC Semifinals)
- No. 5 Central Michigan 86, No. 12 Ball State 62 (2012 MAC First Round)
- No. 3 Ohio and Ball State never have met in the MAC Tournament
- No. 7 Buffalo 69, No. 2 Ball State 65 (2017 MAC Quarterfinals)
- No. 5 Ball State 73, No. 12 Kent State 38 (2014 MAC First Round)
- No. 5 Ball State 61, No. 9 Northern Illinois 47 (2014 MAC Quarterfinals)
- No. 11 Eastern Michigan 64, No. 2 Ball State 63 (2020 MAC Quarterfinals)
MAC Tourney Tidbits:
In the 31 years of the tournament, the top seed has won the title 21 times. In 2016, the Buffalo Bulls became the lowest seed (#8) to ever advance to the tournament championship game and the highest seed to ever win the title. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds have met 15 times in the championship game, with the top seed winning 13 times.Â
Scouting Report:
• Wednesday's game against Ohio will mark the 67th time in program history the two schools have met with the Bobcats leading the all-time series record, 38-28. Ohio has won nine of the last 10 meetings over the Cardinals. The most recent victory went to Ohio on Feb. 10 in Worthen Arena by a score of 88-66.
• Both the Cardinals and the Bobcats are coming off of wins in their last regular season contest of the year. BSU defeated WMU on Saturday at home, 76-69 while Ohio won at home against Miami, 84-70.Â
• Ohio won its last quarterfinal game in Cleveland after defeating Western Michigan, 84-75. The Bobcats were the No. 4 seed last year.
• The last time the Bobcats won the MAC Tournament title was in 2015 as the No. 1 seed defeating No. 6 Eastern Michigan, 60-44.
BSU OT History At the MAC Tourney:
There have only been 15 overtime games played in the Mid-American Conference Tournament and Ball State has played in two of those games. In 1997 the Cardinals lost to Bowling Green, 81-76, and then fell to Miami, 91-88, in 2001.
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