Saturday, February 18
Kalamazoo, Mich.
2:30 p.m.
Ball State University
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Western Michigan
Photo by: Chad Smith
Ball State Travels to Western Michigan for Saturday Matchup
February 17, 2023 | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men's basketball team returns to the road for a contest against Western Michigan on Saturday. The Cardinals (19-7, 10-3) and the Broncos (6-20, 2-11 MAC) are scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. tip inside University Arena.
Head Coach Michael Lewis is the first, first-year head coach to produce a seven-game winning streak. Ball State started 16-7 overall, which is the best start since the 1999-2000 season. The 19-7 record is the best start since the Cardinals started 1997-98 with a 21-7 record. He is the second coach in BSU history to win the regular season opener and the MAC opener in their first season as a head coach. He joins Rick Majerus in achieving the feat.
Last Time Out
The Cardinals are coming off an 87-77 victory against NIU. Jarron Coleman has scored double digits in 16 of the 18 games this season after his 22-point effort. He added a game-high seven assists, a game-high four steals, tied for a team-high eight rebounds, and did not have any turnovers. Payton Sparks dropped 14 points with eight rebounds and one block. Demarius Jacobs recorded 10 points, three assists, one block, and one steal. Basheer Jihad also tied for a team-high eight rebounds.
Boogie on Down
Jarron Coleman is averaging a team-high 14.9 points per game. He leads the team with 64 made 3-pointers and is shooting 37.9 percent from behind the arc. He leads the team with 95 assists and leads the squad in steals with 39. Coleman has added 10 blocks. He has compiled five games of 20 or more points. Earlier this season, Coleman recorded his 1,000th career point.
Sensational Sellers
Jaylin Sellers is second on the team with 13.2 points per game. He is shooting 48.9 percent from 3-point range, which leads the team. He is averaging 3.7 rebounds per game. He has produced a field-goal percentage of 50.2 on the season. Sellers has collected 22 assists, 17 steals, and 15 blocks. He has notched four games with 20 or more points for the season.
Spark Plug
Sparks leads the team with 8.5 rebounds per game, which is tied for 53rd in the country and fourth in the conference. His 3.23 offensive rebounds per contest have him tied for 32nd in the nation and third in the MAC. He is third on the team averaging 12.9 points per game. He is shooting 61.0 percent from the field, which leads the team. He has eight double-doubles on the season, which is tied for 53rd in the country and is third in the MAC. He is third on the team with 52 assists, second on the team with 24 blocks, and has added 12 steals.
Spreading the Love
The Cardinals have four players averaging double-digit points. Demarius Jacobs rounds out the double-digit scorers with 12.0 points a contest. He has a team-high 35 blocks, which is tied for 85th in the NCAA and most in the MAC. His 1.35 blocks per contest is tied for 91st in the nation and first in the conference. He second on the team in assists with 87 and is second on the team in steals with 34. He is averaging 3.7 boards per contest. Pearson is second on the squad with 5.6 rebounds per contest and is averaging 7.7 points a game. Pearson is shooting 51.1 percent from the field.
Taking Advantage at the Free-Throw Line
As a team, the Cardinals are averaging 24.7 free throws per game, which is third in the NCAA and leads the MAC. Ball State is averaging 16.5 free-throws made per contest, which is tied for 16th in the nation and leads the conference. Sparks is eighth in the nation with 191 free-throw attempts, which leads the MAC.
Effective Shooting
The Cardinals are currently shooting 47.7 percent from the field, which is tied for 32nd in the NCAA and is second in the MAC. Ball State has been effective from behind the arc with a combined 38.0 percent from 3-point range, which is tied for 17th in the country and tied for the best in the MAC.
Series History with Western Michigan
The Cardinals and Broncos will battle for the 139th time on Saturday. Ball State holds the series lead 71-67. BSU has won seven of the last eight meetings against WMU, including a 71-70 victory earlier this season inside Worthen Arena. The Cardinals are 23-44 against the Broncos in Kalamazoo but have won the last two meetings at WMU.
Scouting The Broncos
In the matchup earlier this season, WMU was able to shoot a perfect 17-of-17 from the free-throw line. Lamar Norman Jr. produced a game-high 31 points and added six rebounds with four assists. Markeese Hastings finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. Titus Wright had a game-high 11 rebounds. The Broncos are tied for 29th in the NCAA with 12.27 offensive rebounds per game. Norman leads the team with 17.6 points per game and has a team-best 75 assists. He has added 22 steals and two blocks, while averaging 2.6 rebounds per game. Troy Maddox Jr. is second on the team with 11.0 points per game. He is averaging 3.8 rebounds a contest to go along with 45 assists, 17 steals, and eight blocks. Hastings paces the team with 9.5 boards a game, which is tied for 20th in the nation and tied for second in the MAC. He leads the team with 25 steals. Hastings is averaging 8.2 points per game with 48 assists and a team-best 15 blocks.
Tale of the Tape
MAC Conference Standings
1. Kent State – 21-5 (11-2)
2. Toledo – 20-6 (11-2)
3. Ball State – 19-7 (10-3)
4. Akron – 18-8 (10-3)
5. Ohio – 15-11 (7-6)
6. Northern Illinois – 11-15 (7-6)
7. Buffalo – 12-14 (6-7)
8. Central Michigan – 10-16 (5-8)
9. Bowling Green – 10-16 (4-9)
10. Eastern Michigan – 6-20 (3-10)
11. Miami – 8-18 (2-11)
12. Western Michigan – 6-20 (2-11)
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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Head Coach Michael Lewis is the first, first-year head coach to produce a seven-game winning streak. Ball State started 16-7 overall, which is the best start since the 1999-2000 season. The 19-7 record is the best start since the Cardinals started 1997-98 with a 21-7 record. He is the second coach in BSU history to win the regular season opener and the MAC opener in their first season as a head coach. He joins Rick Majerus in achieving the feat.
Last Time Out
The Cardinals are coming off an 87-77 victory against NIU. Jarron Coleman has scored double digits in 16 of the 18 games this season after his 22-point effort. He added a game-high seven assists, a game-high four steals, tied for a team-high eight rebounds, and did not have any turnovers. Payton Sparks dropped 14 points with eight rebounds and one block. Demarius Jacobs recorded 10 points, three assists, one block, and one steal. Basheer Jihad also tied for a team-high eight rebounds.
Boogie on Down
Jarron Coleman is averaging a team-high 14.9 points per game. He leads the team with 64 made 3-pointers and is shooting 37.9 percent from behind the arc. He leads the team with 95 assists and leads the squad in steals with 39. Coleman has added 10 blocks. He has compiled five games of 20 or more points. Earlier this season, Coleman recorded his 1,000th career point.
Sensational Sellers
Jaylin Sellers is second on the team with 13.2 points per game. He is shooting 48.9 percent from 3-point range, which leads the team. He is averaging 3.7 rebounds per game. He has produced a field-goal percentage of 50.2 on the season. Sellers has collected 22 assists, 17 steals, and 15 blocks. He has notched four games with 20 or more points for the season.
Spark Plug
Sparks leads the team with 8.5 rebounds per game, which is tied for 53rd in the country and fourth in the conference. His 3.23 offensive rebounds per contest have him tied for 32nd in the nation and third in the MAC. He is third on the team averaging 12.9 points per game. He is shooting 61.0 percent from the field, which leads the team. He has eight double-doubles on the season, which is tied for 53rd in the country and is third in the MAC. He is third on the team with 52 assists, second on the team with 24 blocks, and has added 12 steals.
Spreading the Love
The Cardinals have four players averaging double-digit points. Demarius Jacobs rounds out the double-digit scorers with 12.0 points a contest. He has a team-high 35 blocks, which is tied for 85th in the NCAA and most in the MAC. His 1.35 blocks per contest is tied for 91st in the nation and first in the conference. He second on the team in assists with 87 and is second on the team in steals with 34. He is averaging 3.7 boards per contest. Pearson is second on the squad with 5.6 rebounds per contest and is averaging 7.7 points a game. Pearson is shooting 51.1 percent from the field.
Taking Advantage at the Free-Throw Line
As a team, the Cardinals are averaging 24.7 free throws per game, which is third in the NCAA and leads the MAC. Ball State is averaging 16.5 free-throws made per contest, which is tied for 16th in the nation and leads the conference. Sparks is eighth in the nation with 191 free-throw attempts, which leads the MAC.
Effective Shooting
The Cardinals are currently shooting 47.7 percent from the field, which is tied for 32nd in the NCAA and is second in the MAC. Ball State has been effective from behind the arc with a combined 38.0 percent from 3-point range, which is tied for 17th in the country and tied for the best in the MAC.
Series History with Western Michigan
The Cardinals and Broncos will battle for the 139th time on Saturday. Ball State holds the series lead 71-67. BSU has won seven of the last eight meetings against WMU, including a 71-70 victory earlier this season inside Worthen Arena. The Cardinals are 23-44 against the Broncos in Kalamazoo but have won the last two meetings at WMU.
Scouting The Broncos
In the matchup earlier this season, WMU was able to shoot a perfect 17-of-17 from the free-throw line. Lamar Norman Jr. produced a game-high 31 points and added six rebounds with four assists. Markeese Hastings finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. Titus Wright had a game-high 11 rebounds. The Broncos are tied for 29th in the NCAA with 12.27 offensive rebounds per game. Norman leads the team with 17.6 points per game and has a team-best 75 assists. He has added 22 steals and two blocks, while averaging 2.6 rebounds per game. Troy Maddox Jr. is second on the team with 11.0 points per game. He is averaging 3.8 rebounds a contest to go along with 45 assists, 17 steals, and eight blocks. Hastings paces the team with 9.5 boards a game, which is tied for 20th in the nation and tied for second in the MAC. He leads the team with 25 steals. Hastings is averaging 8.2 points per game with 48 assists and a team-best 15 blocks.
Tale of the Tape
| BSU | Category | WMU |
| 76.7 | POINTS PER GAME | 70.1 |
| 69.4 | OPP. POINTS PER GAME | 74.5 |
| .477 | FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .435 |
| .433 | OPP. FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .464 |
| .380 | 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .330 |
| .369 | OPP. 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .363 |
| .668 | FREE THROW PERCENTAGE | .714 |
| 36.3 | REBOUNDS PER GAME | 37.1 |
| 3.8 | REBOUNDING MARGIN | 4.8 |
| 13.2 | ASSISTS PER GAME | 13.0 |
| 12.5 | TURNOVERS PER GAME | 13.2 |
| -0.3 | TURNOVER MARGIN | -3.2 |
| 5.9 | STEALS PER GAME | 4.6 |
| 4.1 | BLOCKS PER GAME | 2.3 |
MAC Conference Standings
1. Kent State – 21-5 (11-2)
2. Toledo – 20-6 (11-2)
3. Ball State – 19-7 (10-3)
4. Akron – 18-8 (10-3)
5. Ohio – 15-11 (7-6)
6. Northern Illinois – 11-15 (7-6)
7. Buffalo – 12-14 (6-7)
8. Central Michigan – 10-16 (5-8)
9. Bowling Green – 10-16 (4-9)
10. Eastern Michigan – 6-20 (3-10)
11. Miami – 8-18 (2-11)
12. Western Michigan – 6-20 (2-11)
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).
Follow the Cardinals
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