Ball State University Athletics
Tuesday, January 4
Muncie, Ind.
7 p.m.
Ball State University
vs
Kent State
Photo by: Chad Smith
Cardinals Return to Worthen on Tuesday for MAC Matchup with Golden Flashes
January 03, 2022 | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men's basketball team returns to Worthen Arena on Tuesday for a Mid-American Conference matchup with Kent State, sponsored by ScreenBroidery. Both the Cardinals and Golden Flashes enter Tuesday's contest with 6-6 overall records. BSU is 1-0 in MAC play, while KSU is 1-1 in conference action.
The Cardinals are coming off an exhilarating win against Bowling Green, which saw BSU down by six points with just 43 seconds left in regulation. Miryne Thomas hit a game-winning jumper with eight seconds on the clock. Luke Bumbalough finished with a game-high 21 points, which matched a career high. He added a game-high four assists, a steal and a rebound. Payton Sparks recorded a career-high 20 points with nine boards, two assists, and a block. Thomas finished with a game-high and a season-high 14 rebounds. Thomas added eight points, two assists, and a blocked shot. Demarius Jacobs recorded a career-high two blocks and added six points with four rebounds. Jaylin Sellers was a perfect 3-for-3 from 3-point range and finished with 11 points, giving Ball State three players in double figures.
Ball State features three players averaging double-digit points, Bumbalough (13.2), Sparks (10.4), and Tyler Cochran (10.1). Sparks leads the team on the glass averaging 6.0 rebounds per contest. Bumbalough and Cochran are first and second on the team in steals with 42 and 30, respectively. Thomas paces the Cardinals with six blocks, while Basheer Jihad has five. Cochran has been stout on the defensive end with a team-high 25 steals, while Bumbalough and Jacobs each have 10. Cochran's 2.08 steals per game is tied for 48th in the NCAA and is second in the MAC.
Kent State leads the series 46-41. The Cardinals are on a two-game winning streak against the Golden Flashes, including a 90-71 victory last year on Feb. 24. In games played in Muncie, Ball State has a 28-13 record.
Sincere Carry leads the Golden Flashes with 15.9 points per game and is tops on the team with 58 assists. Malique Jacobs is second on the squad with 11.9 points per contest. Jacobs is averaging 6.9 boards per game, while Justyn Hamilton has 6.5 rebounds a game. Hamilton leads the MAC with 19 blocks. Carry and Giovanni Santiago are the top-two in steals, with 17 and 16, respectively.
All of BSU's games are presented on the Ball State Gainbridge Radio Network as well as Woof Boom Radio's 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.
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.
The Cardinals are coming off an exhilarating win against Bowling Green, which saw BSU down by six points with just 43 seconds left in regulation. Miryne Thomas hit a game-winning jumper with eight seconds on the clock. Luke Bumbalough finished with a game-high 21 points, which matched a career high. He added a game-high four assists, a steal and a rebound. Payton Sparks recorded a career-high 20 points with nine boards, two assists, and a block. Thomas finished with a game-high and a season-high 14 rebounds. Thomas added eight points, two assists, and a blocked shot. Demarius Jacobs recorded a career-high two blocks and added six points with four rebounds. Jaylin Sellers was a perfect 3-for-3 from 3-point range and finished with 11 points, giving Ball State three players in double figures.
Ball State features three players averaging double-digit points, Bumbalough (13.2), Sparks (10.4), and Tyler Cochran (10.1). Sparks leads the team on the glass averaging 6.0 rebounds per contest. Bumbalough and Cochran are first and second on the team in steals with 42 and 30, respectively. Thomas paces the Cardinals with six blocks, while Basheer Jihad has five. Cochran has been stout on the defensive end with a team-high 25 steals, while Bumbalough and Jacobs each have 10. Cochran's 2.08 steals per game is tied for 48th in the NCAA and is second in the MAC.
Kent State leads the series 46-41. The Cardinals are on a two-game winning streak against the Golden Flashes, including a 90-71 victory last year on Feb. 24. In games played in Muncie, Ball State has a 28-13 record.
Sincere Carry leads the Golden Flashes with 15.9 points per game and is tops on the team with 58 assists. Malique Jacobs is second on the squad with 11.9 points per contest. Jacobs is averaging 6.9 boards per game, while Justyn Hamilton has 6.5 rebounds a game. Hamilton leads the MAC with 19 blocks. Carry and Giovanni Santiago are the top-two in steals, with 17 and 16, respectively.
All of BSU's games are presented on the Ball State Gainbridge Radio Network as well as Woof Boom Radio's 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 | Kent St. |
| 74.9 | POINTS PER GAME | 70.0 |
| 78.1 | OPP. POINTS PER GAME | 76.3 |
| .442 | FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .427 |
| .454 | OPP. FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .394 |
| .373 | 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .313 |
| .385 | OPP. 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .292 |
| .673 | FREE THROW PERCENTAGE | .810 |
| 35.0 | REBOUNDS PER GAME | 35.5 |
| -2.1 | REBOUNDING MARGIN | 2.9 |
| 14.1 | ASSISTS PER GAME | 13.1 |
| 14.3 | TURNOVERS PER GAME | 12.6 |
| -1.2 | TURNOVER MARGIN | 2.2 |
| 6.8 | STEALS PER GAME | 7.2 |
| 2.1 | BLOCKS PER GAME | 3.9 |
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
*For tickets call 1-888-BSU-TICKET or 765-285-1474, or click here.
Players Mentioned
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