Ball State University
Northern Illinois University
Women's Basketball Hosts NIU In Midweek MACtion Wednesday
January 31, 2023 | Women's Basketball
The Cardinals look to improve to 8-1 in conference play and remain undefeated (11-0) in Worthen Arena
Feb. 1 Â | Muncie, Ind. | Worthen Arena | 6:30 pm ET
Opening Tip:
- The Ball State women's basketball team looks to improve to a 8-1start in Mid-American Conference play for the first time since the 2016-17 season when it hosts Northern Illinois Wednesday in Worthen Arena. Currently, the Caridnals are tied for first place in the Mid-American Conference standings with Bowling Green.Â
- The Cardinals remained undefeated at home (10-0) in Worthen Arena after an impressive 89-66 victory over Akron in midweek MACtion, Jan. 25. So far, the 10-0 record at home this season is the best in program history.Â
- This will mark the 65th meeting in a series that began in 1982-83 when the Cardinals defeated the Huskies 86-83 on Jan. 26 in DeKalb, Ill. The Cardinals lead the all-time series record 41-23. The Cardinals split the two-game series with NIU winning on the road then losing at home. Ball State won its last meeting over Northern Illinois in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Mid-American Conference Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio March 9 by a score of 60-54.
- Ball State 11th-year head coach Brady Sallee has won 16 of the last 21 meetings against the Huskies dating back to his first season at the helm in 2012-13.
- The Cardinals are coming off of another impressive league victory when Ball State defeated Ohio 78-58 Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center. The win also marked the Cardinals' 11th-year head women's basketball coach Brady Sallee's 200th victory at Ball State. Sallee is now the winningest coach for both the men's and women's basketball programs at Ball State.
- Northern Illinois has lost four consecutive games after recently falling to Bowling Green 66-50 Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center. Laura Nickel and Sidney McCrea each had a team-high nine points for the Huskies against the Falcons. NIU's last win came against Ohio (78-66) Jan. 14.
Where the Cardinals Rank:
Nationally the Cardinals rank 16th in scoring offense (79.3), 18th in 3-pointers per game (8.6), 38th in 3-point field goal attempts (24.6), 16th in field goal percentage (46.6), 21st in assists per game (16.9), 85th in free throw attempts (19.0), 81st in free throws made per game (13.4) and 25th in winning percentage (81.0). The Cardinals currently sit at No. 9 in the latest College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 poll, the second highest of any MAC team.
Scouting Northern Illinois:
- Senior guard Chelby Koker leads the Huskies in scoring with 16.1 points per game. She has scored in double figures in 12 consecutive game before Saturday against Bowling Green when she was held to only five.Â
- The Huskies are strong statistically in rebounding. Northern Illinois currently averages 38.42 rebound per game which is third-most in the Mid-American Conference. NIU has had at least 35 boards 14 times in 19 games.Â
 - The last time Ball State and Northern Illinois met was at the MAC Tournament March 9, 2022. The Cardinals pulled the 60-54 comeback win over No. 4 Northern Illinois at Rocket Mortgage Field House to advance to the 2022 Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinals. It was an all-around team performance, headed by Ally Becki, who had 15 points while going 3-of-6 from the 3-point line.
