Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Kent State University
Women's Basketball Takes To The Road Saturday Against Kent State
February 11, 2022 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 12 | Kent, Ohio | M.A.C. Center | 1 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPN3 | Listen: Muncie Sports Station (92.5FM/1340 AM) | Live Stats
Game Notes: Ball State | Kent State
Opening Tip:
- Saturday's game against Kent State will mark the 64th time in program history the two schools have me with the Golden Flashes leading the all-time series, 41-22.
- The Cardinals have won eight of their last 13 meetings against Kent State.
- Ball State fell to Kent State in its first meeting this season on Sunday, Jan. 9 by narrow margin, 51-54.
- Ball State head coach Brady Sallee is familiar with the Golden Flashes, he was an assistant women's basketball coach from 1996-2002 under former legendary head coach Bob Lindsay.
- Both Ball State and Kent State enter Saturday's contest on win streaks. The Cardinals look to extend their win streak to six while the Golden Flashes have now won four in a row.
- The Cardinals were supposed to host Ohio on Wednesday night in Worthen Arena but the game was postponed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
- Ball State 10th-year head coach Brady Sallee knows how to win in the month of February. Under Sallee, the Cardinals have a 42-26 (.617) overall record for the shortest month of the year. Sallee's most successful February was in 2019-20 after the Cardinals posted a 7-1 record that year.
In The Nation In 3's:
The Cardinals currently rank 9th in the nation among its Division I peers in 3-point field goals per game 9.4. Ball State also ranks in the top-50 in 3-point field goal attempts coming in at 14 with 594 and 12th in the nation for total 3-pointers made with 198.
Becki ESPN Top 10 Plays:
Freshman Ally Becki turned in a star studded performance at Buffalo a week ago with a career best 20 points. Becki made the ESPN top 10 plays after nailing a half court shot at the buzzer to end intermission against the Bulls helping Ball State take the lead over Buffalo at the break and a later the victory against UB.
Road Warriors:
The Ball State women's basketball team has a 6-2 mark when playing on the road this season and are 4-2 in Mid-American Conference action. Under Sallee, the Cardinals have always been a strong road team as Sallee and the Cardinals have an overall road record over a 10 year span of 77-59 (.566).
Ball Control:
In the Cardinals last 15 contests Ball State has been able limit its turnovers against its opponents. Against Purdue Fort Wayne, the Cardinals only committed 12 turnovers and then mimicked that type of performance against Pitt with a season low nine miscues. Currently the Cardinals assist/turnover ratio is 1.11 which is good for a national ranking of 38 and ranks first in the MAC.
Big Time Becki:
Freshman Ally Becki has been showing up big time for the Cardinals this season especially in Ball State's last five contests. In BSU's last five games, Becki has averaged 18.2 points per contest and 6.2 rebounds while dishing out 33 assists and knocking down 19 3-pointers.
Becki & Kiefer Are Freshmen:
In 10 years under Ball State head coach Brady Sallee no two freshmen has consistently been in the starting lineup more so than Ally Becki and Marie Kiefer. Becki and Kiefer have become quite the dynamic duo especially as of late for the Cardinals. Against Bowling Green, Becki was nearing a triple double after scoring 15 points while pulldown nine rebounds and dishing out nine assists. Kiefer on the other hand tallied a career best 24 points against the Falcons and pulled down a personal best 12 rebounds for her first career double-double. So far this season Becki has started every contest while Kiefer has started in 16 of the 21 games for Ball State.
Next Game:
After today's contest, you can catch the Cardinals at home again on Wednesday, Feb. 16 against Buffalo. Tipoff for that game is at 6:30 pm ET in Worthen Arena. The Cardinals will then travel on Saturday, Feb. 19 to Toledo. That contest is at 2 p.m. ET in Savage Arena.
Scouting Kent State:
- Kent State is 3-4 vs. Ball State under head coach Todd Starkey.
- The Golden Flashes were projected to finish fourth overall in the preseason Mid-American Conference poll.
- The first-ever meeting between Ball State and Kent State was the 1979-80 season. The Golden Flashes won that meeting by a score of 84-59 in Ohio. Ball State has currently taking the last four meetings from Kent State.
- The Golden Flashes are led by guard Katie Shumate who is averaging 11.9 points per contest and 3.8 rebounds.
- The last time Ball State won at Kent State was on Jan. 20, 2018. That year the Cardinals defeated the Golden Flashes by a score of 79-58.
