Tuesday, February 7
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
7 p.m.
Ball State University
at
Central Michigan
Photo by: Grace Walton - BSU Creative Services
Ball State Travels to Mount Pleasant for Battle with Central Michigan
February 06, 2023 | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men's basketball team takes to the road for a contest against Central Michigan on Tuesday, Feb. 7. The Cardinals (16-7, 7-3 MAC) and Chippewas (8-15, 3-7 MAC) are scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip inside McGuirk Arena.
Ball State is 16-7 overall, which is the best start since the 1999-2000 season.
Last Time Out
The Cardinals are coming off a 91-90 overtime thrilling victory against the Eastern Michigan Eagles. Sparks led the team with 22 points and 15 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season. He became the first BSU player to record a double-double with 20 or more points and 15 or more rebounds since Tahjai Teague in January of 2020. Sparks added four assists, a game-high three blocks, and added a steal. Coleman tallied 18 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. It is the first time this season that the Cardinals had two players produce double-doubles in the same game. Coleman collected five assists, with one block. Jaylin Sellers recorded 17 points, two rebounds, one assist, and one block. Jacobs tallied a game-high eight assists to go along with 16 points, two rebounds, one block, and one steal. Pearson finished with 13 points, six in overtime to pace the Cardinals, and added six boards.
Boogie on Down
Coleman is averaging a team-high 15.3 points per game. He leads the team with 58 made 3-pointers and is shooting 38.7 percent from behind the arc. He is tied for the team lead with 80 assists and leads the squad in steals with 34. 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 13.1 points per game. He is shooting 47.9 percent from 3-point range, which leads the team. He is averaging 3.8 rebounds per game. He has produced a field-goal percentage of 49.97on the season. Sellers has collected 18 assists, 16 steals and 12 blocks. He has notched four games with 20 or more points for the season.
Spark Plug
Sparks leads the team with 8.2 rebounds per game, which is tied for 81st in the country and fourth in the conference. His 3.13 offensive rebounds per contest have him tied for 35th in the nation and third in the MAC. He is tied for third on the team averaging 12.5 points per game. He is shooting 60.5 percent from the field, which leads the team. He has six double-doubles on the season, which is tied for 78th in the country and tied for third in the MAC. He is third on the team with 44 assists, second on the team with 21 blocks, and has added 11 steals.
Spreading the Love
The Cardinals have four players averaging double-digit points. Demarius Jacobs rounds out the double-digit scorers with 12.1 points a contest. He has a team-high 33 blocks, which is tied for 78th in the NCAA and most in the MAC. His 1.43 blocks per contest is tied for 81st in the nation and first in the conference. He is tied for the team lead in assists with 80 and is second on the team in steals with 32. He is averaging 3.9 boards per contest. Mickey Pearson Jr. is second on the squad with 5.3 rebounds per contest and is averaging 7.2 points a game. Pearson is shooting 49.1 percent from the field.
Taking Advantage at the Free-Throw Line
As a team, the Cardinals are averaging 24.8 free throws per game, which is tied for second in the NCAA and leads the MAC. Ball State is averaging 16.6 free-throws made per contest, which is tied for 15th in the nation and leads the conference. Sparks is tied for ninth in the nation with 169 free-throw attempts, which is tied for first in the MAC.
Effective Shooting
The Cardinals are currently shooting 47.2 percent from the field, which is tied for 46th in the NCAA and is second in the MAC. Ball State has been effective from behind the arc with a combined 37.8 percent from 3-point range, which is tied for 26th in the country and second in the MAC.
Series History with the Chippewas
The Cardinals and Chippewas have played 106 times and Ball State leads the series 68-38. CMU won the lone meeting last season in overtime, 89-85, in Muncie on Feb. 8. BSU has won two of the last three contests. Ball State is 21-30 at Central Michigan.
Scouting Central Michigan
The Chippewas are led by Kevin Miller who is averaging 18.5 points a game. He is averaging 3.8 rebounds per game and has produced 21 assists with three steals. Miller has only played in four games this season. Jesse Zarzuela is second on the team averaging 16.3 points per game and is second on the squad with 46 assists. He has added 15 steals and is producing 2.8 boards a contest. Brian Taylor rounds out the double-digit scorers with 14.3 a contest. He leads the team with 6.3 rebounds per game and paces the squad with 21 blocks. He has added 29 assists and 21 steals. Reggie Bass has a team-high 71 assists and a team-best 29 steals. He is averaging 9.7 points a contest with 3.6 boards a game.
Tale of the Tape
MAC Conference Standings
1. Akron – 17-6 (9-1)
2. Kent State – 18-5 (8-2)
3. Toledo – 17-6 (8-2)
4. Ball State – 16-7 (7-3)
5. Northern Illinois – 10-13 (6-4)
6. Buffalo – 11-12 (5-5)
7. Ohio – 12-11 (4-6)
8. Bowling Green – 10-13 (4-6)
9. Central Michigan – 8-15 (3-7)
10. Eastern Michigan – 6-17 (3-7)
11. Western Michigan – 6-17 (2-8)
12. Miami – 7-16 (1-9)
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 16-7 overall, which is the best start since the 1999-2000 season.
Last Time Out
The Cardinals are coming off a 91-90 overtime thrilling victory against the Eastern Michigan Eagles. Sparks led the team with 22 points and 15 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season. He became the first BSU player to record a double-double with 20 or more points and 15 or more rebounds since Tahjai Teague in January of 2020. Sparks added four assists, a game-high three blocks, and added a steal. Coleman tallied 18 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. It is the first time this season that the Cardinals had two players produce double-doubles in the same game. Coleman collected five assists, with one block. Jaylin Sellers recorded 17 points, two rebounds, one assist, and one block. Jacobs tallied a game-high eight assists to go along with 16 points, two rebounds, one block, and one steal. Pearson finished with 13 points, six in overtime to pace the Cardinals, and added six boards.
Boogie on Down
Coleman is averaging a team-high 15.3 points per game. He leads the team with 58 made 3-pointers and is shooting 38.7 percent from behind the arc. He is tied for the team lead with 80 assists and leads the squad in steals with 34. 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 13.1 points per game. He is shooting 47.9 percent from 3-point range, which leads the team. He is averaging 3.8 rebounds per game. He has produced a field-goal percentage of 49.97on the season. Sellers has collected 18 assists, 16 steals and 12 blocks. He has notched four games with 20 or more points for the season.
Spark Plug
Sparks leads the team with 8.2 rebounds per game, which is tied for 81st in the country and fourth in the conference. His 3.13 offensive rebounds per contest have him tied for 35th in the nation and third in the MAC. He is tied for third on the team averaging 12.5 points per game. He is shooting 60.5 percent from the field, which leads the team. He has six double-doubles on the season, which is tied for 78th in the country and tied for third in the MAC. He is third on the team with 44 assists, second on the team with 21 blocks, and has added 11 steals.
Spreading the Love
The Cardinals have four players averaging double-digit points. Demarius Jacobs rounds out the double-digit scorers with 12.1 points a contest. He has a team-high 33 blocks, which is tied for 78th in the NCAA and most in the MAC. His 1.43 blocks per contest is tied for 81st in the nation and first in the conference. He is tied for the team lead in assists with 80 and is second on the team in steals with 32. He is averaging 3.9 boards per contest. Mickey Pearson Jr. is second on the squad with 5.3 rebounds per contest and is averaging 7.2 points a game. Pearson is shooting 49.1 percent from the field.
Taking Advantage at the Free-Throw Line
As a team, the Cardinals are averaging 24.8 free throws per game, which is tied for second in the NCAA and leads the MAC. Ball State is averaging 16.6 free-throws made per contest, which is tied for 15th in the nation and leads the conference. Sparks is tied for ninth in the nation with 169 free-throw attempts, which is tied for first in the MAC.
Effective Shooting
The Cardinals are currently shooting 47.2 percent from the field, which is tied for 46th in the NCAA and is second in the MAC. Ball State has been effective from behind the arc with a combined 37.8 percent from 3-point range, which is tied for 26th in the country and second in the MAC.
Series History with the Chippewas
The Cardinals and Chippewas have played 106 times and Ball State leads the series 68-38. CMU won the lone meeting last season in overtime, 89-85, in Muncie on Feb. 8. BSU has won two of the last three contests. Ball State is 21-30 at Central Michigan.
Scouting Central Michigan
The Chippewas are led by Kevin Miller who is averaging 18.5 points a game. He is averaging 3.8 rebounds per game and has produced 21 assists with three steals. Miller has only played in four games this season. Jesse Zarzuela is second on the team averaging 16.3 points per game and is second on the squad with 46 assists. He has added 15 steals and is producing 2.8 boards a contest. Brian Taylor rounds out the double-digit scorers with 14.3 a contest. He leads the team with 6.3 rebounds per game and paces the squad with 21 blocks. He has added 29 assists and 21 steals. Reggie Bass has a team-high 71 assists and a team-best 29 steals. He is averaging 9.7 points a contest with 3.6 boards a game.
Tale of the Tape
| BSU | Category | CMU |
| 76.0 | POINTS PER GAME | 67.0 |
| 69.8 | OPP. POINTS PER GAME | 72.2 |
| .472 | FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .419 |
| .437 | OPP. FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .429 |
| .378 | 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .295 |
| .375 | OPP. 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | .325 |
| .667 | FREE THROW PERCENTAGE | .685 |
| 35.9 | REBOUNDS PER GAME | 36.2 |
| 3.1 | REBOUNDING MARGIN | -0.5 |
| 12.9 | ASSISTS PER GAME | 11.0 |
| 12.4 | TURNOVERS PER GAME | 16.0 |
| -0.2 | TURNOVER MARGIN | -2.0 |
| 6.0 | STEALS PER GAME | 5.9 |
| 4.3 | BLOCKS PER GAME | 3.9 |
MAC Conference Standings
1. Akron – 17-6 (9-1)
2. Kent State – 18-5 (8-2)
3. Toledo – 17-6 (8-2)
4. Ball State – 16-7 (7-3)
5. Northern Illinois – 10-13 (6-4)
6. Buffalo – 11-12 (5-5)
7. Ohio – 12-11 (4-6)
8. Bowling Green – 10-13 (4-6)
9. Central Michigan – 8-15 (3-7)
10. Eastern Michigan – 6-17 (3-7)
11. Western Michigan – 6-17 (2-8)
12. Miami – 7-16 (1-9)
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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