WBB Welcomes Central Michigan To Worthen Arena on Saturday and MAC Rival Miami Monday

Saturday, January 22

Muncie, Ind.

1:00 pm

Ball State University

Central Michigan University

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Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services

WBB Welcomes Central Michigan To Worthen Arena on Saturday and MAC Rival Miami Monday

January 21, 2022 | Women's Basketball

- Saturday's game against Central Michigan will mark the 84th time the teams have met, with the Chippewas leading the all-time series record, 44-39. The Cardinals have won two of their last three meetings against the Chippewas including a 69-66 road win in Mount Pleasant, Mich. on Feb. 3, 2021. Central Michigan however defeated Ball State in its last competition in Worthen Arena on by a score of 87-81 in overtime on March 3, 2021.

- 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.

- A quick turnaround for the Cardinals this weekend as Ball State will makeup a contest against Miami that was postponed due to COVID-19 protocals. The Cardinals will host the RedHawks on Monday in Worthen Arena at 6:30 p.m. ET.

- Monday's game against Miami will mark the 70th time in program history the two schools have met with the RedHawks leading the all-time series 40-29. Ball State has won the two-game series over Miami last season defeating the RedHawks 85-82 in Worthen Arena on Jan. 27, 2021 and then again in Oxford, Ohio 79-77 on Feb. 13, 2021. Ball State has won three of the last four meetings against Miami.

Scouting Central Michigan:

- The reigning 2021 Mid-American Conference Tournament champions are off to a slow start this season with an overall record of 3-13 and a league record of 1-6. Recently the Chippewas fell to Bowling Green on Wednesday by a score of 68-92. The lone MAC team Central Michigan has defeated this season was Northern Illinois on Jan. 1 by a score of 72-68.

- Central Michigan was picked to finish sixth in the 2021-22 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll.-

- The Chippewas are coached by Heather Oesterle who was the longtime assistant coach with the program prior to being named head coach in July of 2019. This is Oesterle's third season at the helm of the Chippewas.

- The Chippewas are led in scoring by Molly Davis who is averaging 19.3 points per ball game. Following Davis in scoring is Jahari Smith who averages a double-double with 11.1 points per contest and 10.9 rebounds.

Scouting Miami:
- The last time Miami won in Muncie was the 2002-03 season. That year the RedHawks defeated Ball State on Feb. 3, 97-94 in overtime.

- The RedHawks are the closest MAC school in proximity to Ball State. The distance from Millett Hall to Worthen Arena is exactly 76 miles door-to-door.

- Since the 1989-90 season, the Cardinals have won 19 of the last 29 meetings against the RedHawks. Out of all the Ball State women's basketball coaches, Brady Sallee owns the best record over Miami at 10-1.

- The RedHawks are led in scoring again this season by Peyton Scott who is averaging 17.7 points per game while also pulling down 6.4 rebounds. Newcomer Ivy Wolf also is averaging double figures in scoring with 10.8 points per contest.

When BSU Scoresa 80+:

When the Cardinals score 80+ points this season it results in a victory for Ball State. The Cardinals are 6-0 when the reach the 80 point plateau with wins over Milwaukee (84-75 OT), Purdue Fort Wayne (86-58), Utah State (81-55), Bellarmine (84-63), Northern Illinois (83-82 OT) and Eastern Michigan (83-73).

Home Sweet Home:

John E. Worthen Arena has been very good to the Cardinals for the past decade. Ball State has a record of 155-84 (.656) at Worthen Arena from 2004-present. In 10 seasons Brady Sallee has compiled a 87-49 (.658) record in Worthen Arena. His best season at home was in 2017-18 when the Cardinals went 15-3 in Muncie. This season BSU is 4-2 at home.