Tuesday, January 21
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
7 PM
Ball State University
at
Central Michigan
Photo by: Sam Findley/Ball State Athletics
Men's Basketball Starting Road Stretch Tuesday Night at CMU
January 20, 2025 | Men's Basketball
Cardinals to Play 4 of 5 on the Road
The Ball State men's basketball team begins a four road games out of five stretch when the Cardinals play at Central Michigan at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
The contest will be streamed on ESPN+, while Mick Tidrow and David Eha handle the radio broadcast on WMUN 1340AM – 92.5FM.
Ball State leads the head-to-head series 70-39, but the Chippewas hold a 30-23 edge at home against the Cardinals. Both teams won on the road last season with Central Michigan taking a 71-65 decision on Jan. 6 in Muncie and Ball State winning 79-71 on Feb. 27 in Mount Pleasant.
The Cardinals (8-9, 2-3 Mid-American Conference) got 20 points and nine rebounds from Payton Sparks but fell 93-75 to Toledo on Saturday afternoon at Worthen Arena. Ball State will be looking for its second MAC road win of the season in three tries after topping Kent State 75-67 on Jan. 4 in the conference opener.
The Chippewas (8-9, 2-3 MAC) have won two straight, beating Eastern Michigan 82-63 last Tuesday at home before winning 71-66 at Northern Illinois on Saturday. Two of Central's three losses in conference play have been to common opponents with the Cardinals (57-55 against Ohio on Jan. 4 and 69-67 at Toledo on Jan. 10).
Central Michigan rebounds and defends to the tune of a MAC-best +4.8 rebounding margin and second-best scoring defense (70.1 points per game) and field goal percentage defense (42.2) tallies so far this season.
Senior Jakobi Heady paces the Chippewas in scoring (14.1 points per game) and rebounding (6.7 per game), while senior guard Anthony Pritchard is second in the MAC in steals per game (2.3, No. 23 in
NCAA Division I) and total steals (39) and third in assists per game (7.3) and total assists (73). Pritchard was voted First Team All-MAC in the preseason poll.
Ball State will continue on the road with a game at Northern Illinois at 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 CT) on Saturday in DeKalb.
CLUTCH ON THE ROAD: Mickey Pearson Jr. averages 13.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in six true road games this year, which are higher than his overall averages of 11.5 and 5.6 per game.
The forward put up a career-best 25 points last February in Ball State's 79-71 triumph at Central Michigan.
MOMENTUM IN MICHIGAN: The Cardinals claimed a 4-0 record in games played in the state of Michigan last season, beating all three Mid-American Conference teams and Detroit Mercy on the road.
Ball State has won two straight games in Mount Pleasant, as they took down the Chippewas 65-51 on Feb. 7, 2023.
BUCKEYE STATE BATTLES: Toledo was Ball State's fifth straight opponent from the state of Ohio to begin the Mid-American Conference schedule.
After Saturday, the Cardinals have played every MAC team in the state besides Akron.
SPREAD OUT THE SCORING: Six Cardinals scored in double figures in Ball State's 91-69 triumph over Bowling Green on Jan. 11: Payton Sparks (19 points), Juanse Gorosito (16), Mickey Pearson Jr. (16), Jeremiah Hernandez (14), Jermahri Hill (12), and Ethan Brittain-Watts (10).
It was the first time the men's basketball team has placed six in double digits in the box score since Nov. 19, 2022 against IU-South Bend. The Cardinals followed that up with five with 10+ on Saturday against Toledo
OFFENSIVE SHOWCASE: The Cardinals shot 58.9 percent (33-for-56) from the field in last Saturday's 91-69 winning decision against Bowling Green.
The shooting percentage was Ball State's best since Nov. 24, 2023 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (61.1), while the total field goals made tied for the most in a game this season.
PAYTON POUNDING THE GLASS: Senior center Payton Sparks had recorded double figures rebounds in five consecutive games (16-12-16-13-12) before recording nine on Saturday to increase his season rebounding average to second in the Mid-American Conference (7.5 per game).
The Winchester, Ind., native leads the league in rebounding in conference games with an average of 12.4 per contest.
70 IS A MAGIC NUMBER: The Cardinals have found success when scoring at least 70 points (7-4 record) and/or allowing fewer than 70 points (6-0) this season.
Ball State has put up at least 70 points in eight straight games, which is the longest current stretch among MAC teams.
GETTING FAMILIAR WITH THE FREE THROW LINE: Junior guard Jermahri Hill (121) and Sparks (106) are first and second in the league in free throw attempts, respectively.
The two are No. 1 and No. 4 in the conference in free throws made, with 84 for Hill and 63 for Sparks, while Pearson Jr. (62) is fifth in the MAC.
ONE-TWO PUNCH: Sparks and Hill have established a dynamic duo over the last few weeks, combining for 202 points, 108 rebounds and 33 assists in the most recent six games.
Hill led the Cardinals in scoring in three of those games while Sparks has been the leading rebounder in all six contests for Ball State.
MILESTONE WATCH: After Sparks (currently 1,078 points) reached the milestone on New Year's Eve, Hernandez (959) and Pearson Jr. (918) are each closing in on scoring 1,000 points in his Division I career.
Sparks (660 rebounds) is currently No. 13 in Ball State program history for a career.
GETTING TO THE LINE: The Cardinals pace the Mid-American Conference in both free throw attempts per game (26.5) and free throws made per game (18.5) through the season's first 17 games.
Ball State ranks No. 7 and No. 11 in those categories in NCAA Division I, respectively. The total tallies (450 attempts and 314 makes) outpace the next-closest MAC team (Toledo) by 86 attempts and 68 makes.
GORO-THREE-TO: Junior guard Juanse Gorosito was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Week after hitting seven 3-pointers for 21 and adding four assists and three steals on Dec. 14 at Bellarmine.
Gorosito is third in the conference in 3-pointers made (46) and first in shooting percentage (44.2) from distance, which ranks No. 21 in NCAA Division I.
HOME STATE HEROES: Brittain-Watts (2019), Zane Doughty, Joey Hart and Mason Jones (2023) were each named Indiana High School All-Stars, while three more Cardinals also had ties to the state before arriving in Muncie.
Ball State has the second-most players from Indiana high schools among Indiana-based Division I teams behind Purdue.
WORLD FLYERS: The 2024-25 Ball State roster consists of student-athletes from three different countries in addition to the United States of America.
Gorosito (Argentina), Ben Hendriks (Canada) and Jurica Zagorsak (Croatia) are international Cardinals this season. Interestingly, Juanse, Ben and Jurica were born on different continents, so
Ball State has student-athletes from North America, South America and Europe on the team.
TRANSFERS FROM ALL OVER: Each of Ball State's seven student-athletes who have transferred into the program have come from different college basketball conferences.
The list includes Ethan Brittain-Watts (Patriot League, Boston), Gorosito (West Coast Conference, Portland), Hart (SEC, Kentucky), Hernandez (Ohio Valley Conference, USI), Pearson Jr. (Big 12, TCU), Sparks (Big Ten, Indiana) and Hill who played junior college ball at South Plains in Levelland, Texas.
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The contest will be streamed on ESPN+, while Mick Tidrow and David Eha handle the radio broadcast on WMUN 1340AM – 92.5FM.
Ball State leads the head-to-head series 70-39, but the Chippewas hold a 30-23 edge at home against the Cardinals. Both teams won on the road last season with Central Michigan taking a 71-65 decision on Jan. 6 in Muncie and Ball State winning 79-71 on Feb. 27 in Mount Pleasant.
The Cardinals (8-9, 2-3 Mid-American Conference) got 20 points and nine rebounds from Payton Sparks but fell 93-75 to Toledo on Saturday afternoon at Worthen Arena. Ball State will be looking for its second MAC road win of the season in three tries after topping Kent State 75-67 on Jan. 4 in the conference opener.
The Chippewas (8-9, 2-3 MAC) have won two straight, beating Eastern Michigan 82-63 last Tuesday at home before winning 71-66 at Northern Illinois on Saturday. Two of Central's three losses in conference play have been to common opponents with the Cardinals (57-55 against Ohio on Jan. 4 and 69-67 at Toledo on Jan. 10).
Central Michigan rebounds and defends to the tune of a MAC-best +4.8 rebounding margin and second-best scoring defense (70.1 points per game) and field goal percentage defense (42.2) tallies so far this season.
Senior Jakobi Heady paces the Chippewas in scoring (14.1 points per game) and rebounding (6.7 per game), while senior guard Anthony Pritchard is second in the MAC in steals per game (2.3, No. 23 in
NCAA Division I) and total steals (39) and third in assists per game (7.3) and total assists (73). Pritchard was voted First Team All-MAC in the preseason poll.
Ball State will continue on the road with a game at Northern Illinois at 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 CT) on Saturday in DeKalb.
CLUTCH ON THE ROAD: Mickey Pearson Jr. averages 13.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in six true road games this year, which are higher than his overall averages of 11.5 and 5.6 per game.
The forward put up a career-best 25 points last February in Ball State's 79-71 triumph at Central Michigan.
MOMENTUM IN MICHIGAN: The Cardinals claimed a 4-0 record in games played in the state of Michigan last season, beating all three Mid-American Conference teams and Detroit Mercy on the road.
Ball State has won two straight games in Mount Pleasant, as they took down the Chippewas 65-51 on Feb. 7, 2023.
BUCKEYE STATE BATTLES: Toledo was Ball State's fifth straight opponent from the state of Ohio to begin the Mid-American Conference schedule.
After Saturday, the Cardinals have played every MAC team in the state besides Akron.
SPREAD OUT THE SCORING: Six Cardinals scored in double figures in Ball State's 91-69 triumph over Bowling Green on Jan. 11: Payton Sparks (19 points), Juanse Gorosito (16), Mickey Pearson Jr. (16), Jeremiah Hernandez (14), Jermahri Hill (12), and Ethan Brittain-Watts (10).
It was the first time the men's basketball team has placed six in double digits in the box score since Nov. 19, 2022 against IU-South Bend. The Cardinals followed that up with five with 10+ on Saturday against Toledo
OFFENSIVE SHOWCASE: The Cardinals shot 58.9 percent (33-for-56) from the field in last Saturday's 91-69 winning decision against Bowling Green.
The shooting percentage was Ball State's best since Nov. 24, 2023 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (61.1), while the total field goals made tied for the most in a game this season.
PAYTON POUNDING THE GLASS: Senior center Payton Sparks had recorded double figures rebounds in five consecutive games (16-12-16-13-12) before recording nine on Saturday to increase his season rebounding average to second in the Mid-American Conference (7.5 per game).
The Winchester, Ind., native leads the league in rebounding in conference games with an average of 12.4 per contest.
70 IS A MAGIC NUMBER: The Cardinals have found success when scoring at least 70 points (7-4 record) and/or allowing fewer than 70 points (6-0) this season.
Ball State has put up at least 70 points in eight straight games, which is the longest current stretch among MAC teams.
GETTING FAMILIAR WITH THE FREE THROW LINE: Junior guard Jermahri Hill (121) and Sparks (106) are first and second in the league in free throw attempts, respectively.
The two are No. 1 and No. 4 in the conference in free throws made, with 84 for Hill and 63 for Sparks, while Pearson Jr. (62) is fifth in the MAC.
ONE-TWO PUNCH: Sparks and Hill have established a dynamic duo over the last few weeks, combining for 202 points, 108 rebounds and 33 assists in the most recent six games.
Hill led the Cardinals in scoring in three of those games while Sparks has been the leading rebounder in all six contests for Ball State.
MILESTONE WATCH: After Sparks (currently 1,078 points) reached the milestone on New Year's Eve, Hernandez (959) and Pearson Jr. (918) are each closing in on scoring 1,000 points in his Division I career.
Sparks (660 rebounds) is currently No. 13 in Ball State program history for a career.
GETTING TO THE LINE: The Cardinals pace the Mid-American Conference in both free throw attempts per game (26.5) and free throws made per game (18.5) through the season's first 17 games.
Ball State ranks No. 7 and No. 11 in those categories in NCAA Division I, respectively. The total tallies (450 attempts and 314 makes) outpace the next-closest MAC team (Toledo) by 86 attempts and 68 makes.
GORO-THREE-TO: Junior guard Juanse Gorosito was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Week after hitting seven 3-pointers for 21 and adding four assists and three steals on Dec. 14 at Bellarmine.
Gorosito is third in the conference in 3-pointers made (46) and first in shooting percentage (44.2) from distance, which ranks No. 21 in NCAA Division I.
HOME STATE HEROES: Brittain-Watts (2019), Zane Doughty, Joey Hart and Mason Jones (2023) were each named Indiana High School All-Stars, while three more Cardinals also had ties to the state before arriving in Muncie.
Ball State has the second-most players from Indiana high schools among Indiana-based Division I teams behind Purdue.
WORLD FLYERS: The 2024-25 Ball State roster consists of student-athletes from three different countries in addition to the United States of America.
Gorosito (Argentina), Ben Hendriks (Canada) and Jurica Zagorsak (Croatia) are international Cardinals this season. Interestingly, Juanse, Ben and Jurica were born on different continents, so
Ball State has student-athletes from North America, South America and Europe on the team.
TRANSFERS FROM ALL OVER: Each of Ball State's seven student-athletes who have transferred into the program have come from different college basketball conferences.
The list includes Ethan Brittain-Watts (Patriot League, Boston), Gorosito (West Coast Conference, Portland), Hart (SEC, Kentucky), Hernandez (Ohio Valley Conference, USI), Pearson Jr. (Big 12, TCU), Sparks (Big Ten, Indiana) and Hill who played junior college ball at South Plains in Levelland, Texas.
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