Saturday, December 3
Pittsburgh, Pa.
2 p.m.
Ball State University
at
Duquesne
Photo by: BSU Photo Services
Ball State Hits the Road for Saturday Showdown with Duquesne
December 02, 2022 | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men's basketball team takes to the road for a non-conference matchup with Duquesne on Saturday, Dec. 3. The Cardinals and Dukes are slated for a 2 p.m. jump on ESPN+.
BSU enters the weekend with a 4-3 overall record after a 1-2 performance against stiff competition at the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship. DU has a 6-1 record on year heading into Saturday's contest.
MAC Player of the Week
Payton Sparks led the Cardinals in scoring and rebounding for the week. He averaged 16.3 points a game and added 9.7 boards per contest. In the opening game of the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship, he posted an 11-point performance, while adding seven rebounds. In Ball State's victory against Missouri State, he produced a career-high 24 points along with a game-high 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the tournament. He added two steals and two assists. Sparks collected his second-straight double-double as he tied for a team-high 14 points and brought down 10 rebounds against San Jose State. He shot 67.9 percent from the field and 1.000 percent from 3-point range. His lone 3-pointer was a buzzer beater at the end of the first half against Missouri State.
Last Time Out
The Cardinals are coming off a 67-65 heartbreaking defeat against the San Jose State Spartans. Sparks recorded his second-straight game with a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Sparks added a team-high three assists with a block. Demarius Jacobs has posted double-digits in seven of the team's eight contests with his 14 points. Jacobs led the team with two blocks to go along with four rebounds and one steal. Jalen Windham notched his sixth game in double figures with his 14 points. Windham added a rebound and an assist. Jarron Coleman finished the game with 11 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.
Spreading the Love
Ball State has four players averaging double figures on the season. Sparks leads the team with 15.4 points per game. He is shooting 62.5 percent from the field, which is tied for 35th in the NCAA and leads the MAC. He has a team-best 7.9 rebounds per game to go along with 17 assists, seven blocks, and five steals. Coleman is second on the team in points per game (13.1), rebounds per game (5.4), assists (19), and steals (12). Jacobs is third on the squad with 12.6 points per contest. He has a team-best 24 assists with a team-high 14 steals, and his 13 blocks are the best in the conference. Jaylin Sellers rounds out the double-digit scorers with 11.2 a game to go along with 4.7 rebounds per game.
Taking Advantage at the Free-Throw Line
As a team, the Cardinals are averaging 25.0 free throws per game, which is tied for 17th in the country and leads the MAC. Ball State is averaging 17.0 free-throws made per contest, which is 25th in the NCAA and leads the conference. Sparks is tied for 14th in the nation with 54 free-throw attempts, which is second in the MAC.
Block Party
Ball State continues to be strong on the defensive end of the court. As a unit, the Cardinals are tied for 56th in the NCAA with 4.7 blocks per game. Jacobs is tied for 48th in the nation and leads the MAC with 13 blocks. His 1.86 blocks per game is tied for 43rd in the country and leads the conference.
Series History with Duquesne
Friday will mark the first meeting between Ball State and Duquesne.
Scouting the Dukes
A familiar foe leads the Dukes in Dae Dae Grant the former Miami RedHawk guard. Grant in the only Duquesne player in double figures with 20.1 points per game, which is tied for 27th in the NCAA. His 3-point percentage of 56.2 is eighth in the nation. He is second on the squad with 10 steals and tied for second with 17 assists. Austin Rotroff paces the Dukes with 7.9 boards per contest. Jimmy Clark III has a team-best 13 steals. David Dixon leads the squad with 11 blocks. Tevin Brewer has a team-high 20 assists.
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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BSU enters the weekend with a 4-3 overall record after a 1-2 performance against stiff competition at the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship. DU has a 6-1 record on year heading into Saturday's contest.
MAC Player of the Week
Payton Sparks led the Cardinals in scoring and rebounding for the week. He averaged 16.3 points a game and added 9.7 boards per contest. In the opening game of the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship, he posted an 11-point performance, while adding seven rebounds. In Ball State's victory against Missouri State, he produced a career-high 24 points along with a game-high 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the tournament. He added two steals and two assists. Sparks collected his second-straight double-double as he tied for a team-high 14 points and brought down 10 rebounds against San Jose State. He shot 67.9 percent from the field and 1.000 percent from 3-point range. His lone 3-pointer was a buzzer beater at the end of the first half against Missouri State.
Last Time Out
The Cardinals are coming off a 67-65 heartbreaking defeat against the San Jose State Spartans. Sparks recorded his second-straight game with a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Sparks added a team-high three assists with a block. Demarius Jacobs has posted double-digits in seven of the team's eight contests with his 14 points. Jacobs led the team with two blocks to go along with four rebounds and one steal. Jalen Windham notched his sixth game in double figures with his 14 points. Windham added a rebound and an assist. Jarron Coleman finished the game with 11 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.
Spreading the Love
Ball State has four players averaging double figures on the season. Sparks leads the team with 15.4 points per game. He is shooting 62.5 percent from the field, which is tied for 35th in the NCAA and leads the MAC. He has a team-best 7.9 rebounds per game to go along with 17 assists, seven blocks, and five steals. Coleman is second on the team in points per game (13.1), rebounds per game (5.4), assists (19), and steals (12). Jacobs is third on the squad with 12.6 points per contest. He has a team-best 24 assists with a team-high 14 steals, and his 13 blocks are the best in the conference. Jaylin Sellers rounds out the double-digit scorers with 11.2 a game to go along with 4.7 rebounds per game.
Taking Advantage at the Free-Throw Line
As a team, the Cardinals are averaging 25.0 free throws per game, which is tied for 17th in the country and leads the MAC. Ball State is averaging 17.0 free-throws made per contest, which is 25th in the NCAA and leads the conference. Sparks is tied for 14th in the nation with 54 free-throw attempts, which is second in the MAC.
Block Party
Ball State continues to be strong on the defensive end of the court. As a unit, the Cardinals are tied for 56th in the NCAA with 4.7 blocks per game. Jacobs is tied for 48th in the nation and leads the MAC with 13 blocks. His 1.86 blocks per game is tied for 43rd in the country and leads the conference.
Series History with Duquesne
Friday will mark the first meeting between Ball State and Duquesne.
Scouting the Dukes
A familiar foe leads the Dukes in Dae Dae Grant the former Miami RedHawk guard. Grant in the only Duquesne player in double figures with 20.1 points per game, which is tied for 27th in the NCAA. His 3-point percentage of 56.2 is eighth in the nation. He is second on the squad with 10 steals and tied for second with 17 assists. Austin Rotroff paces the Dukes with 7.9 boards per contest. Jimmy Clark III has a team-best 13 steals. David Dixon leads the squad with 11 blocks. Tevin Brewer has a team-high 20 assists.
Tale of the Tape
| BSU | Category | DU |
| 77.4 | POINTS PER GAME | 79.1 |
| 66.3 | OPP. POINTS PER GAME | 70.1 |
| .485 | FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .475 |
| .420 | OPP. FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .430 |
| .357 | 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .385 |
| .351 | OPP. 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .385 |
| .680 | FREE THROW PERCENTAGE | .648 |
| 36.9 | REBOUNDS PER GAME | 36.1 |
| 5.5 | REBOUNDING MARGIN | 0.0 |
| 13.7 | ASSISTS PER GAME | 16.6 |
| 13.3 | TURNOVERS PER GAME | 11.0 |
| 1.0 | TURNOVER MARGIN | 3.6 |
| 7.7 | STEALS PER GAME | 8.1 |
| 4.7 | BLOCKS PER GAME | 4.6 |
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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