Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
University of Akron
Women's Basketball Looks to Open #MACtion with 2-0 league start; Plays at Akron Saturday
January 05, 2024 | Women's Basketball
Ball State (11-2, 1-0 MAC) at Akron (5-6, 0-1 MAC)
January 6, 2023 >>James A. Rhodes Arena>Akron, Ohio.>> 2 pm ET
Opening Tip:
- Saturday's game against Akron will mark the 49th time in program history the two schools have met with the Cardinals leading the all-time series, 29-19. Ball State has won 11 of the last 14 meetings against the Zips. Brady Sallee owns an 11-8 mark against Akron.
- The last time the Cardinals and the Zips met was at the quarterfinals of the 2023 Mid-American Conference Tournament. Ball State was the No. 3 seed and defeated the sixth-seeded Akron Zips by a score of 92-68.
- Last season, Ball State won both of its MAC regular season meetings over Akron which included an 89-66 win in Worthen Arena for the Cardinals on Jan. 25 and a 61-56 road victory in Akron, Ohio.
- Ball State ended its 2023 non-conference season with an impressive 95-58 victory over Oakland City on Dec. 30 in Worthen Arena. Against the Mighty Oaks, Madelyn Bischoff led the Cardinals with 16 points. She has reached double digit scoring in nine of the Cardinals 12 games this season. With the win, the Cardinals improved to 10-2 on the season and currently enter Mid-American Conference action with the best non-conference mark.
- Akron enters Saturday's contest with a 5-6 overall mark and a 0-1 league ledger. The Zips fell to the Ohio Bobcats in their conference opener by a score of 67-58 in Athens, Ohio Wednesday. Reagan Basll led Akron that game in scoring with 17 points and 17 rebounds.
- The Cardinals are riding a five-game win streak into Saturday's contest. Ball State's longest win streak is 12 games which was accomplished in 2008-09. Brady Sallee's longest win streak is 11 games in 2017-18. The Cardinals won 10-straight last season from Jan. 14-Feb. 18.
- The conference tournament runs March 13-16 with the league's top eight teams advancing to Cleveland for the quarterfinals, semifinals and the title game on Saturday, March 16.
Last Year vs. the Zips:
In the Cardinals three wins against the Zips last season they outscored Akron 242-190 (+17.3) while Madelyn Bischoff averaged 13.3 point per contest. Alex Richard also averaged double figures with 11.0 points per game. Ball State's best quarter against Akron was the second quarter in all three games as the Cardinals outscored the Zips, 52-39.
Next Game:
Ball State returns home for league action next week when it hosts Buffalo on Wednesday in Worthen Arena at 6:30 pm ET. The Cardinals will then remain home on Saturday when it hosts Bowling Green for a 1 pm tipoff. Wednesday's game against Buffalo will mark the 37th time in program history the two schools have met, with the Cardinals leading the all-time series, 20-16.
Career Milestones:
- Ally Becki needs 95 points for 1,000, 95 assists and 56 rebounds to reach the 500 mark.
- Nyla Hampton needs 37 points for 1,000.
- Marie Kiefer has 112 blocks for her career -- needs 40 to move into first place.
