Ball State University
Eastern Michigan University (Youth Night)
WBB Looks to Remain Undefeated in MAC Play at Home Against EMU Wednesday
January 07, 2025 | Women's Basketball
GAME #15 Cardinals vs. Eagles
Ball State (10-4, 2-0 MAC) vs. Eastern Michigan (1-11, 0-2 MAC)
Jan. 8, 2025 >>Worthen Arena>>6:30 pm ET>>Muncie, Ind.
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Opening Tip:
- Wednesday's game against Eastern Michigan will mark the 91st time in program history the two schools have met with the all-time series being knotted, 45-45. Head coach Brady Sallee holds an overall record of 16-9 against Eastern Michigan from 2012-13 to present.
- The Cardinals opened MAC play Wednesday as they ran in the New Year with a 68-55 win against the Miami RedHawks in Oxford, Ohio. Ally Becki led the squad with 22 points while true freshman Grace Kingery wasn't too far behind Becki as she turned in an 18-point performance.
- 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.Â
- For the second-straight season the Cardinals have opened Mid-American Conference with a 2-0 ledger. Ball State and Kent State are the only two teams that have not suffered a loss in league action.Â
- The Eagles have not beating the Cardinals in Worthen Arena since the 2020-21 season. That year Eastern Michigan defeated Ball State 77-58 on Dec. 2, 2020.
- The Cardinals are 18-1 at home in conference play from 2022-23 to present. The last time Ball State lost at home in league action was against Toledo on Feb. 25, 2023 by a 72-70 decision. Ball State is riding a 10-game home MAC win streak into Wednesday's contest versus EMU.
- Ball State won the home-and-away series last season against Eastern Michigan.Â
- The last time these two teams met was on March 2 in Worthen Arena, resulting in a 75-47 victory for the Cardinals.
- Eastern Michigan has lost six in a row and has won only once this season which was against Xavier on Dec. 1 by a 72-60 decision in Ypsilanti.
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 70-29 (.701) in the month of January dating back to his first season in 2012-13.
NET Rankings:
The NCAA Division I net rankings have the Cardinals being ranked in the top 70 coming in at 57. Ball State has earned the highest net ranking out of all the schools in the Mid-American Conference.
Home Sweet Home:
John E. Worthen Arena has been very good to the Cardinals for the past decade. Ball State has a record of 194-87 (.654) at Worthen Arena from 2004-present. In 13 seasons Brady Sallee has compiled a 128-56 (.691) record in Worthen Arena. His best season at home was in 2022-23 when the Cardinals went 15-1 in Worthen.Â
10-1 at the Half:
The Cardinals own an 10-1 ledger when Ball State ends the first half with the lead. The lone loss came against Columbia University as the Cardinals had a 31-25 edge against the Jack Rabbits at halftime on Nov. 25, 2024 in the last game of the Battle 4 Atlantis.Â
Becki MAC Player of the Week:
Ally Buckets did it again this week for the Cardinals as the senior guard averaged 21.0 points per game, 8.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 3.0 steals while shooting 56 percent (13-23) from the field and went a perfect 13-13 from the charity stripe. Becki helped the Cardinals to a 2-0 start in the Mid-American Conference play for the second-straight season. Becki opened #MACtion with a 22-point, nine rebound, seven assists and four steals performance in a road victory at Miami on Wednesday to ring in the New Year. On Saturday, Becki pretty much mimicked that performance as she led the Cardinals again with 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a win versus Central Michigan.
