Tuesday, January 25
Muncie, Ind.
7 p.m.
Ball State University
vs
Miami (OH)
Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
Ball State Plays Three Games in Five Days
January 24, 2022 | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State Cardinals men's basketball team returns to the hardwood for a busy week that features three games in five days. The Cardinals host the Miami RedHawks on Tuesday sponsored by Ball State Financial. On Thursday, Ball State travels to Northern Illinois. The Cardinals return to Worthen Arena on Saturday for a game against the Western Michigan Broncos sponsored by Life Stream.
The Cardinals and RedHawks are scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip on Tuesday. BSU and NIU are slated for a 7 p.m. jump from Dekalb, Illinois on Thursday. Ball State and Western Michigan is tabbed for a 3:30 p.m. start on Saturday in Muncie.
In BSU's last game at Toledo, Payton Sparks recorded a team-high 17 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. He added one block. Tyler Cochran produced his first double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Miryne Thomas tallied 13 points and added seven rebounds, one block, one steal, and an assist. Luke Bumbalough posted 12 points with three assists, and three rebounds. Demarius Jacobs led the team with two blocks and brought down seven boards.
Ball State has three players averaging 12 or more points per game, Bumbalough (12.5), Cochran (12.2), and Sparks (12.1). Sparks is averaging 7.5 rebounds per game and has eight blocks, both lead the team. Sparks and his three double-doubles is tied for second in the MAC. Sparks is currently tied for 45th in the NCAA and leads the MAC with 103 free-throw attempts. Thomas and Basheer Jihad are tied for second on the team with seven blocks. Cochran has a team-best 29 steals, while Jacobs is second with 13. Bumbalough leads the squad with 54 assists and Jacobs is second with 43.
Miami leads the overall series with Ball State 66-41. The RedHawks won the last meeting on January 19, 2021, 81-71 in Oxford. Miami has won four of the last five contests. The series is tied in Muncie, 25-25.
Miami is led by Dae Dae Grant with 16.5 points per game and he has a team-best 69 assists. Mekhi Lairy is second on the team with 14.4 points per contest, while Dalonte Brown is averaging 13.2. Brown has a team-best 6.9 boards per game. Precious Ayah is tied for the MAC lead in blocks with 26. Lairy has produced a team-best 22 steals. Lairy leads the MAC with a free-throw percentage of .935 percent.
Tale of the Tape
The Cardinals hold a 58-39 record against the Huskies. Ball State is currently on a four-game winning streak against Northern Illinois, including a 78-58 victory in Muncie on Jan. 16, 2021. NIU leads the series in Dekalb, 25-21.
Keshawn Williams leads the Huskies with 15.7 points per game. Trendon Hankerson is second on the team with 10.9 points per game and leads the squad with 30 steals. Kaleb Thornton has a team-best 57 assists. On the glass, Anthony Crump is averaging a team-high 4.8 rebounds per game. Chinedu Kingsley Okanu has double-digit blocks with 13.
Ball State holds a slim 68-67 series lead over Western Michigan. The Cardinals are currently on a two-game winning streak against the Broncos, including a 76-68 victory on December 22, 2020, at WMU. BSU leads the series in Muncie 41-23.
The Broncos are led by Lamar Norman Jr. as the only player averaging double figures with 19.4 points per game. Markeese Hastings has a team-best 8.3 rebounds per game. Titus Wright leads the team with 14 blocks. Norman has 18 steals and 32 assists, both lead WMU.
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.
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.
As a reminder to all fans, face coverings are required while inside Worthen Arena.
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The Cardinals and RedHawks are scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip on Tuesday. BSU and NIU are slated for a 7 p.m. jump from Dekalb, Illinois on Thursday. Ball State and Western Michigan is tabbed for a 3:30 p.m. start on Saturday in Muncie.
In BSU's last game at Toledo, Payton Sparks recorded a team-high 17 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. He added one block. Tyler Cochran produced his first double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Miryne Thomas tallied 13 points and added seven rebounds, one block, one steal, and an assist. Luke Bumbalough posted 12 points with three assists, and three rebounds. Demarius Jacobs led the team with two blocks and brought down seven boards.
Ball State has three players averaging 12 or more points per game, Bumbalough (12.5), Cochran (12.2), and Sparks (12.1). Sparks is averaging 7.5 rebounds per game and has eight blocks, both lead the team. Sparks and his three double-doubles is tied for second in the MAC. Sparks is currently tied for 45th in the NCAA and leads the MAC with 103 free-throw attempts. Thomas and Basheer Jihad are tied for second on the team with seven blocks. Cochran has a team-best 29 steals, while Jacobs is second with 13. Bumbalough leads the squad with 54 assists and Jacobs is second with 43.
Miami leads the overall series with Ball State 66-41. The RedHawks won the last meeting on January 19, 2021, 81-71 in Oxford. Miami has won four of the last five contests. The series is tied in Muncie, 25-25.
Miami is led by Dae Dae Grant with 16.5 points per game and he has a team-best 69 assists. Mekhi Lairy is second on the team with 14.4 points per contest, while Dalonte Brown is averaging 13.2. Brown has a team-best 6.9 boards per game. Precious Ayah is tied for the MAC lead in blocks with 26. Lairy has produced a team-best 22 steals. Lairy leads the MAC with a free-throw percentage of .935 percent.
Tale of the Tape
| BSU | Category | MU |
| 73.8 | POINTS PER GAME | 78.0 |
| 77.4 | OPP. POINTS PER GAME | 70.8 |
| .433 | FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .453 |
| .451 | OPP. FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .419 |
| .353 | 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .344 |
| .363 | OPP. 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .342 |
| .679 | FREE THROW PERCENTAGE | .784 |
| 35.9 | REBOUNDS PER GAME | 37.2 |
| -1.7 | REBOUNDING MARGIN | 1.4 |
| 12.9 | ASSISTS PER GAME | 12.3 |
| 14.1 | TURNOVERS PER GAME | 10.1 |
| -1.6 | TURNOVER MARGIN | 1.9 |
| 6.0 | STEALS PER GAME | 5.1 |
| 2.2 | BLOCKS PER GAME | 3.8 |
The Cardinals hold a 58-39 record against the Huskies. Ball State is currently on a four-game winning streak against Northern Illinois, including a 78-58 victory in Muncie on Jan. 16, 2021. NIU leads the series in Dekalb, 25-21.
Keshawn Williams leads the Huskies with 15.7 points per game. Trendon Hankerson is second on the team with 10.9 points per game and leads the squad with 30 steals. Kaleb Thornton has a team-best 57 assists. On the glass, Anthony Crump is averaging a team-high 4.8 rebounds per game. Chinedu Kingsley Okanu has double-digit blocks with 13.
Ball State holds a slim 68-67 series lead over Western Michigan. The Cardinals are currently on a two-game winning streak against the Broncos, including a 76-68 victory on December 22, 2020, at WMU. BSU leads the series in Muncie 41-23.
The Broncos are led by Lamar Norman Jr. as the only player averaging double figures with 19.4 points per game. Markeese Hastings has a team-best 8.3 rebounds per game. Titus Wright leads the team with 14 blocks. Norman has 18 steals and 32 assists, both lead WMU.
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.
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.
As a reminder to all fans, face coverings are required while inside Worthen Arena.
Follow the Cardinals
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