Ohio (7-12 overall, 4-5 Mid-American Conference) looks to get back on track after a home loss to Buffalo against the MAC’s top team, Ball State (19-2 overall, 9-0 MAC).
It will be a tough task for Ohio, as Ball State has been the class of the MAC so far this year. The Cardinals’ only two losses came from ranked opponents, UConn and Notre Dame. They have solid wins against Power Five opponents Georgia and Pittsburgh. The Bobcats will look to play spoiler and end the Cardinals' 13-game winning streak.
Here’s what you need to know about Ball State ahead of Saturday’s game.
Game Information:
Opponent: Ball State
Time: Saturday at 1 p.m.
Location: Worthen Arena (Muncie, Indiana)
Watch: ESPN+
Follow live stats here
Meet the Opponent:
Head Coach: Brady Sallee (12th Season)
Projected Starters
#00 Ally Becki
#12 Nyla Hampton
#14 Marie Kiefer
#20 Alex Richard
#24 Madelyn Bischoff
Statistical Leaders
Points: Becki (14.4 per game)
Assists: Hampton (5.1 per game)
Rebounds: Becki (5 per game)
Steals: Hampton (3.2 per game)
Blocks: Keifer (.9 per game)
Field-Goal Percentage: Annie Rauch (62%)
3-Point Percentage: Bischoff (45%)
Free-Throw Percentage: Bischoff (87%)
Ball State Notes
The Cardinals have been the best team in the MAC this year by a wide margin. The regular starting five are all juniors and the team’s head coach has been at Ball State for over a decade. This team doesn’t lack experience and it shows on the court.
The team’s defense has been particularly stout during its recent stretch of games, holding all of its opponents to under 60 points over the last five games. Junior guard Nyla Hampton has been especially terrific on the defensive end, leading the MAC in steals per game.
Player to Watch: Ally Becki
Becki leads the first-place Cardinals in both scoring and rebounding. Her 14.4 points per game are good for fifth place in the conference. She is second in the MAC in assists per game, only behind her teammate, Nyla Hampton.
Ball State’s offense is fast-paced and features a lot of movement from every player on the court. It is a unique attack that is difficult to stop. Becki is the ringleader of the offense, getting her teammates involved and scoring the ball when she needs to.
