Friday, January 14
Muncie, Ind.
6 p.m.
Ball State University
vs
Buffalo
Photo by: Chad Smith
Cardinals Welcome Bulls for Nationally-Televised Showdown
January 13, 2022 | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State Cardinals men's basketball team is back in action on Friday for a nationally-televised Mid-American Conference matchup with Buffalo, sponsored by Northwest Bank. Tipoff is slated for a 6 p.m. start time on CBS Sports Network. BSU enters with a 7-8 overall record and a 2-2 mark in the MAC, while UB comes in with an 8-6 overall mark and are 2-2 in conference play.
Payton Sparks led Ball State in the last contest against Akron. He produced his first career double-double with a career-high in points along with a team-high 10 rebounds. Miryne Thomas posted 12 points behind a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and 2-for-2 from 3-point range. Thomas tied for a team-high two steals and added three boards. Demarius Jacobs chipped in with 10 points and tied for a game-high six assists. Luke Bumbalough rounded out the double-digit scoring with 10 points. Tyler Cochran brought down six rebounds, second on the team, and added nine points.
Bumbalough continues to pace the Cardinal attack with 12.7 points per game. Sparks is second on the team averaging 11.4, while Cochran is averaging 11.2 per contest. Bumbalough has a team-high 49 assists, while Jacobs is second with 38. Sparks continues to be a vital cog in BSU rebounding with 6.5 per game. Sparks, Thomas, and Basheer Jihad are tied for the team lead in blocks with six each. Cochran sits at the top of the steal category for Ball State with 29, while Jacobs has 13.
The Bulls lead the overall series 19-16. Buffalo won the last meeting on Feb. 2, 2021, 78-58, in Muncie. UB has won six of the last seven meetings and is riding a three-game winning streak against BSU. The Cardinals hold a 10-6 record against the Bulls in games played in Muncie.
UB is led by Jeenathan Williams who is averaging 18.2 points per game. Renaldo Segu is second on the team with 16.4 points per contest. Josh Mballa is third with 15.0 points per game, while Maceo Jack rounds out the double-digit scoring with 10.2 per contest. Segu is averaging 5.1 assists per game, which is tied for 33rd in the NCAA and leads the MAC. Mballa has a team-high 8.1 rebounds per contest, leads the squad with 21 steals, and has a team-best 11 blocks.
All of BSU's games are presented on the Ball State Gainbridge Radio Network on Woof Boom stations 96.7 FM, 102.9 FM, 104.9 FM, WLBC HD2, and the stream of 967BlakeFM.com as well as WERKFM.net.
Tale of the Tape
Cardinal fans join the movement inside Worthen Arena and enjoy three or more games at a special price! Starting at just $27 for three men's games and $21 for three women's games or mix and match! Click here for more details.
Ball State Ticket Sell-a-Thon ends today. Click here for more details about Sell-a-Thon along with the no fee for Friday. Today is your last chance to cash in on these special promotions.
Ball State students be sure to get to Worthen Arena early tomorrow to make sure you're one of the first 250 students to receive a Ball State rally towel.
As a reminder to all fans, face coverings are required while inside Worthen Arena.
Follow the Cardinals
Twitter
Instagram
*For tickets call 1-888-BSU-TICKET or 765-285-1474, or click here.
Payton Sparks led Ball State in the last contest against Akron. He produced his first career double-double with a career-high in points along with a team-high 10 rebounds. Miryne Thomas posted 12 points behind a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and 2-for-2 from 3-point range. Thomas tied for a team-high two steals and added three boards. Demarius Jacobs chipped in with 10 points and tied for a game-high six assists. Luke Bumbalough rounded out the double-digit scoring with 10 points. Tyler Cochran brought down six rebounds, second on the team, and added nine points.
Bumbalough continues to pace the Cardinal attack with 12.7 points per game. Sparks is second on the team averaging 11.4, while Cochran is averaging 11.2 per contest. Bumbalough has a team-high 49 assists, while Jacobs is second with 38. Sparks continues to be a vital cog in BSU rebounding with 6.5 per game. Sparks, Thomas, and Basheer Jihad are tied for the team lead in blocks with six each. Cochran sits at the top of the steal category for Ball State with 29, while Jacobs has 13.
The Bulls lead the overall series 19-16. Buffalo won the last meeting on Feb. 2, 2021, 78-58, in Muncie. UB has won six of the last seven meetings and is riding a three-game winning streak against BSU. The Cardinals hold a 10-6 record against the Bulls in games played in Muncie.
UB is led by Jeenathan Williams who is averaging 18.2 points per game. Renaldo Segu is second on the team with 16.4 points per contest. Josh Mballa is third with 15.0 points per game, while Maceo Jack rounds out the double-digit scoring with 10.2 per contest. Segu is averaging 5.1 assists per game, which is tied for 33rd in the NCAA and leads the MAC. Mballa has a team-high 8.1 rebounds per contest, leads the squad with 21 steals, and has a team-best 11 blocks.
All of BSU's games are presented on the Ball State Gainbridge Radio Network on Woof Boom stations 96.7 FM, 102.9 FM, 104.9 FM, WLBC HD2, and the stream of 967BlakeFM.com as well as WERKFM.net.
Tale of the Tape
| BSU | Category | UB |
| 74.4 | POINTS PER GAME | 82.1 |
| 77.3 | OPP. POINTS PER GAME | 73.3 |
| .444 | FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .461 |
| .454 | OPP. FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .428 |
| .371 | 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .339 |
| .358 | OPP. 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .330 |
| .671 | FREE THROW PERCENTAGE | .711 |
| 34.8 | REBOUNDS PER GAME | 41.4 |
| -2.3 | REBOUNDING MARGIN | 6.5 |
| 13.6 | ASSISTS PER GAME | 14.9 |
| 14.4 | TURNOVERS PER GAME | 13.1 |
| -1.5 | TURNOVER MARGIN | -0.5 |
| 6.4 | STEALS PER GAME | 7.0 |
| 2.1 | BLOCKS PER GAME | 4.5 |
Cardinal fans join the movement inside Worthen Arena and enjoy three or more games at a special price! Starting at just $27 for three men's games and $21 for three women's games or mix and match! Click here for more details.
Ball State Ticket Sell-a-Thon ends today. Click here for more details about Sell-a-Thon along with the no fee for Friday. Today is your last chance to cash in on these special promotions.
Ball State students be sure to get to Worthen Arena early tomorrow to make sure you're one of the first 250 students to receive a Ball State rally towel.
??Attention @BallState students??
Be sure to head over to Worthen Arena at 6 p.m. on Friday as the Cardinals take on the Bulls and pick up your BSU rally towel??#ChirpChirp | #WeFly pic.twitter.com/fkuhFWt9Mg— Ball State Men's Basketball (@BallStateMBB) January 13, 2022
As a reminder to all fans, face coverings are required while inside Worthen Arena.
Follow the Cardinals
*For tickets call 1-888-BSU-TICKET or 765-285-1474, or click here.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballMen's Basketball // Armoni Zeigler Coast to Coast
Wednesday, October 15
Ball State Men's Basketball // Coach Lewis Season Preview
Tuesday, September 30
Men's Basketball // Season Preview with Head Coach Michael Lewis
Monday, September 29
This Week in Ball State Sports Podcast // Jeff Mitchell, Brady Sallee, and Michael Lewis
Thursday, September 25