Ball State University
University of Akron
Women's Basketball Returns to Worthen Arena Wednesday Against Akron
February 27, 2024 | Women's Basketball
Ball State (23-4, 12-2 MAC) vs. Akron (9-16, 4-10 MAC)
February 28, 2024 >> Worthen Arena >>Muncie, Ind.>>Â 6:30 pm ET
Opening Tip:
- The Ball State women's basketball team will play in a nationally televised regular season game on Wednesday, March 6, at 5 p.m. ET when it takes on Kent State at the M.A.C Center. The Cardinals are the only league school to have been chosen to play on ESPNU two years in row. The contest will be a rematch of a game played on Jan. 31, with the Cardinals defeating the Golden Flashes, 57-46, in Worthen Arena.Â
- Ball State recently fell to Mid-American Conference leader Toledo as both teams were battling for the top spot in the league standings. The Cardinals fell to the Rockets by a score of 70-48.
 - The Cardinals have held a halftime lead in nine of their 13 Mid-American Conference games so far this season. Ball State is 10-2 in those contests.Â
- For the seventh time under 12th-year head coach Brady Sallee and the second season in a row, the Cardinals have reached the 20-win plateau. Sallee's 20-win seasons at Ball State are — 22-10 (2015-16), 21-11 (2016-17) 25-7 (2017-18), 21-10 (2019-20), 20-13 (2021-22), 26-9 (2022-23) and 22-3 (2023-24).
- With only four Mid-American Conference games left, Ball State still sits in second of the league standings with a 12-2 mark just one game behind Toledo. The Cardinals could still be crowned the MAC regular season champions or have share of the title depending on the results in these next four games.
-Â Wednesday's game against Akron will mark the 50th time in program history the two schools have met with the Cardinals leading the all-time series, 30-19. Ball State has won 12 of the last 15 meetings against the Zips. Brady Sallee owns a 12-8 mark against Akron.
- Ball State won its first meeting at Akron on Jan. 6 which resulted in a 71-64 overtime victory for the Cardinals. The Cardinals have won four-straight against the Zips. The last time BSU lost to Akron was on Jan. 15, 2022 at James A. Rhodes Arena by a score of 83-76.
Among the Elite:
The Cardinals are getting noticed on a national level as Ball State continues to receive votes in the latest USA Today Sports Coaches Poll. Ball State is currently one of 17 NCAA DI teams that have a 12-2 record in conference play. The Cardinals are also one of 14 NCAA DI teams that have only four losses so far this season. Two of the Cardinals losses this season came against national powerhouses No. 17 Notre Dame and No. 10 UConn. Ball State is the only MAC school to receive votes so far this season. Ball State also has the highest win percentage out of any NCAA DI program in the state of Indiana 23-4 (.852). This is the sixth week in a row the Cardinals have received votes.
Game Day Tidbits:
- In 27 contests as a Cardinal, Nyla Hampton has stolen the ball 89 times and has dished out 132 assists. Hampton stole the ball eight times against Tennessee Tech (11/6/23) and Northern Illinois (2/7/24. Hampton is fourth in the nation in total steals (89) and ranks fifth in steals per game (3.30).
- The Cardinals as a team rank in the top 100 in these categories: 16th in winning percentage (85.2), 17th in turnover margin (5.11), 28th in 3-pointers per game (8.3), 30th in steals per game (10.6), 33 in turnovers forced per game (19.78), 37th in 3-point attempts (24.3), 37th in bench points (24.1), 42nd in field goal percentage (44.9), 43rd assists per game (16.0), 46th in scoring margin (11.9), 52nd in assist/turnover ration (1.09), 54th in scoring offense (73.7) and 62nd in 3-point percentage (34.3).
- Madelyn Bischoff ranks 18th in 3-pointers per contest in the country (2.77), 20th in total 3-pointers (72) and 25th in 3-point percentage (41.9).
Career Milestones:
- Ally Becki needs 26 assists 500 mark.
- Marie Kiefer has 126 blocks for her career -- needs 26 to move into first place.
- Annie Rauch has 979 points for her career and needs 21 for 1,000.
MAC Tourney Appearances:
This season will mark the 34th appearance in the Mid-American Conference Tournament in program history. Ball State has advanced to Cleveland 22 out of the past 24 seasons. The Cardinals are 22-31 all-time in MAC Tournament play and have advanced to the MAC Tournament finals on six occasions. Ball State defeated Bowling Green in 2009 in the MAC Tournament Championship game.Â
Three Games Away:
Ball State is three games away from tying the programs record for most wins in a season. The Cardinals knotted the program record last year after winning their first round WNIT game for their 26th victory in 2022-23. In 2008-09, the Cardinals also went 26-9 under the direction of former head coach Kelly Packard. Current associate head coach, Audrey Spencer was the starting guard for that team.
