Wednesday, November 16
Omaha, Neb.
8:37 p.m. ET
Ball State University
at
Omaha
Photo by: Chad Smith
Cardinals Flock to Nebraska for Matchup with Mavericks
November 15, 2022 | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men's basketball team is back on the road for a contest against Omaha. The Cardinals have started the season 1-1 and look to bounce back against the Mavericks on Wednesday.
Ball State is coming off its first defeat of the season after the Cardinals fell to the Indiana State Sycamores 83-71. Jarron Coleman led the Cardinals with a game-high 29 points. He added a team-high four assists and four rebounds. Demarius Jacobs produced his first double-double in a Cardinal uniform with a game-high 10 rebounds and 10 points. Jacobs added three assists and one block. Payton Sparks finished with 18 points, a team-high two blocks, and added one assist.
Spreading the Love
The Cardinals have four players averaging double-digit points and are led by Coleman with 19.0 points per game. Coleman also leads the team with a 61.5 percentage from behind the arc. His 4.0 3-pointers per game is 14th in the NCAA and second in the Mid-American Conference. He is second on the team with 5.0 rebounds per game and is second on the squad with six assists. Kaiyem Cleary is second on the team with 17.0 points per game, but has only appeared in one contest. Sparks is second on the team with 7.0 boards per contest and is third on the squad with 16.5 points per game. Sparks also has a team-best four blocks. Sparks is shooting 60.0 percent from the field, which is a team best and third in the MAC. Jacobs rounds out the double-digit scorers with 15.5 points per game and paces the team with nine assists. Jacobs and Mickey Pearson Jr. each have notched a double-double as they are tied for the team lead. Pearson leads the team with 7.5 rebounds a game. Jalen Windham has a team-best five steals.
Stout Defense
Ball State has been strong on the defensive end of the court early in the season. The Cardinals are currently tied for 23rd in the country with 6.5 blocks per game, which lead the MAC. BSU has been stout on the glass and is 17th in the NCAA with a rebound margin of 15.5, which is at the top in the MAC. Ball State is averaging 45.50 rebounds per contest, which is tied for 22nd in the nation and leads the conference. The Cardinals have held opponents to 21.6 percent from behind the arc and opponents are averaging 61.0 points per game.
Series History with Omaha
Wednesday will be just the second meeting between Ball State and Omaha. Last season, the Cardinals defeated the Mavericks 73-69 inside Worthen Arena. This year's matchup will feature two first-year head coaches, as Chris Crutchfield returned to his alma mater.
Scouting the Mavericks
Omaha enters Wednesday with a 1-2 record. The Mavericks are currently tied for 12th in the NCAA in free-throw percentage with a combined shooting effort of 82.7 percent. Frankie Fidler leads Omaha as the only Preseason All-Summit First Team selection. Fidler paces the team with 15.7 points per game and is shooting 90.0 percent from the charity stripe. Fidler is second on the squad with 6.0 rebounds per contest. Marquel Sutton has a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game and is second on the team with 13.7 points a game. JJ White has a team-high 14 assists. Dylan Brougham leads the team with three blocks. Fidler and Tony Osburn are tied for a team-best three steals.
Tale of the Tape
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.
For general and season ticket information, please click here or call 1-888-BSU-TICKET (756-285-1474).
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Ball State is coming off its first defeat of the season after the Cardinals fell to the Indiana State Sycamores 83-71. Jarron Coleman led the Cardinals with a game-high 29 points. He added a team-high four assists and four rebounds. Demarius Jacobs produced his first double-double in a Cardinal uniform with a game-high 10 rebounds and 10 points. Jacobs added three assists and one block. Payton Sparks finished with 18 points, a team-high two blocks, and added one assist.
Spreading the Love
The Cardinals have four players averaging double-digit points and are led by Coleman with 19.0 points per game. Coleman also leads the team with a 61.5 percentage from behind the arc. His 4.0 3-pointers per game is 14th in the NCAA and second in the Mid-American Conference. He is second on the team with 5.0 rebounds per game and is second on the squad with six assists. Kaiyem Cleary is second on the team with 17.0 points per game, but has only appeared in one contest. Sparks is second on the team with 7.0 boards per contest and is third on the squad with 16.5 points per game. Sparks also has a team-best four blocks. Sparks is shooting 60.0 percent from the field, which is a team best and third in the MAC. Jacobs rounds out the double-digit scorers with 15.5 points per game and paces the team with nine assists. Jacobs and Mickey Pearson Jr. each have notched a double-double as they are tied for the team lead. Pearson leads the team with 7.5 rebounds a game. Jalen Windham has a team-best five steals.
Stout Defense
Ball State has been strong on the defensive end of the court early in the season. The Cardinals are currently tied for 23rd in the country with 6.5 blocks per game, which lead the MAC. BSU has been stout on the glass and is 17th in the NCAA with a rebound margin of 15.5, which is at the top in the MAC. Ball State is averaging 45.50 rebounds per contest, which is tied for 22nd in the nation and leads the conference. The Cardinals have held opponents to 21.6 percent from behind the arc and opponents are averaging 61.0 points per game.
Series History with Omaha
Wednesday will be just the second meeting between Ball State and Omaha. Last season, the Cardinals defeated the Mavericks 73-69 inside Worthen Arena. This year's matchup will feature two first-year head coaches, as Chris Crutchfield returned to his alma mater.
Scouting the Mavericks
Omaha enters Wednesday with a 1-2 record. The Mavericks are currently tied for 12th in the NCAA in free-throw percentage with a combined shooting effort of 82.7 percent. Frankie Fidler leads Omaha as the only Preseason All-Summit First Team selection. Fidler paces the team with 15.7 points per game and is shooting 90.0 percent from the charity stripe. Fidler is second on the squad with 6.0 rebounds per contest. Marquel Sutton has a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game and is second on the team with 13.7 points a game. JJ White has a team-high 14 assists. Dylan Brougham leads the team with three blocks. Fidler and Tony Osburn are tied for a team-best three steals.
Tale of the Tape
| BSU | Category | UO |
| 90.0 | POINTS PER GAME | 68.0 |
| 61.0 | OPP. POINTS PER GAME | 78.7 |
| .520 | FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .427 |
| .371 | OPP. FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .500 |
| .343 | 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .283 |
| .261 | OPP. 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .414 |
| .706 | FREE THROW PERCENTAGE | .827 |
| 45.0 | REBOUNDS PER GAME | 31.0 |
| 15.5 | REBOUNDING MARGIN | -4.3 |
| 16.0 | ASSISTS PER GAME | 10.3 |
| 14.5 | TURNOVERS PER GAME | 13.7 |
| 2.5 | TURNOVER MARGIN | -1.4 |
| 9.5 | STEALS PER GAME | 5.0 |
| 6.5 | BLOCKS PER GAME | 2.3 |
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.
For general and season ticket information, please click here or call 1-888-BSU-TICKET (756-285-1474).
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