Ball State University
Miami University (OH)
WBB Rings in the New Year at Miami in MAC Opener Wednesday
December 30, 2024 | Women's Basketball
Ball State (8-4, 0-0 MAC) vs. Miami (7-3, 0-0 MAC)
Jan. 1, 2025 >>Millett Hall>>1 pm ET>>Oxford, Ohio
Opening Tip:
- Wednesday's game against Miami will mark the 74th time in program history the two schools have met with the RedHawks leading the all-time series 40-33. Ball State has won its last seven meetings against Miami. Under 13th-year head coach Brady Sallee the Cardinals are 14-1 against the RedHawks dating back to Sallee's first season in 2012-13. The last time Ball State lost to Miami was on Jan. 19, 2019 in Oxford by a score of 60-57.
- The Miami RedHawks are the closest Mid-American Conference opponent distance wise from the Cardinals. It takes approximately just a little over 71 miles from Oxford, Ohio to Muncie, Ind.
- The Cardinals and the RedHawks met only once last season with Ball State winning that lone meeting in Muncie on Jan. 24 by a 91-56 decision.
- Ball State rings in the New Year after a successful 2024 campaign. The Cardinals went 24-6 in 2024 while ending the non-conference season with an 8-4 mark. BSU turned in an impressive performance to close out this non-conference season as the Cardinals wrapped up the 2024 year with an awe-inspiring 112-35 victory over Anderson University on Dec 19. The 112 points was also a program record for the largest margin of victory. The old record was 61 points against Taylor with Ball State winning that contest 106-45 on Jan. 28, 1975.
- Miami went 2-0 back on Dec. 20-21 at the Christmas Classic, capturing wins over George Washington (74-49) and Florida International (62-55) to end the 2024 non-conference season with a 7-3 ledger. The last time Miami won seven of its first 10 games was back in 2018-19, when the RedHawks opened the year 8-2.
- The Cardinals are 7-5 in their Mid-American Conference openers under 13th year head coach Brady Sallee and 3-2 when opening league play on the road.
- The last time Ball State opened Mid-American Conference play against Miami was on Jan. 2, 2000 in Oxford, Ohio.Â
A look back at MAC Play:
Ball State had a highly successful 2023-24 season under the direction of head coach Brady Sallee who is entering his 13th season. The Cardinals tallied 28 overall wins and 16 MAC victories, with both being program records. Ball State earned the No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament, reaching the semifinals for the third-straight season, and received votes in the USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll for nine straight weeks during the year. Ball State ended the season by hosting the first round of the inaugural NCAA Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament.
Net Rankings:
The NCAA Division I net rankings have the Cardinals being ranked in the top 70 coming in at 67. Ball State has earned the highest net ranking out of all the schools in the Mid-American Conference.
Sallee is Hot in January:
It may be cold outside but the Cardinals tend to get hot in the month of January under 13th-year head coach Brady Sallee. Sallee owns an overall record of 68-29 (.701) in the month of January dating back to his first season in 2012-13.
Scouting Miami University:
- Miami has forced 239 turnovers this season, tops in the conference. The RedHawks are 5-2 on the year when they force their opponent into 20-plus turnovers.
- Coach Box, who is in his second season at Miami, added seven new faces to the 2024-25 season and their impact was felt immediately. Five of Miami's top six scorers are newcomers this season and five of the top seven rebounders were on a different team a year ago. Freshman Tamar Singer, sophomore Enjulina Gonzalez and senior Maya Chandler, three new additions, have 84 of Miami's 148 assists this season.
- The RedHawks have three players on their squad from the state of Indiana; Katey Richardson (Zionsville), Maya Chandler (Martinsville) and Amber Tretter (Ferdinand).
