The Bulls have won six of the last seven meetings between the two schools and are coming off a 74-72 last-second loss to Ohio on Tuesday, while Ball State picked up its first conference win with a home victory against Miami (OH).
The Bulls had one of their best rebounding performances of the decade on Tuesday night against Ohio, recording 50 boards against the Bobcats. It was the most rebounds in a game for the Bulls since they had 50 against Toledo on Feb. 4, 2012. It was the 11th time this season that the Bulls have recorded at least 40 rebounds in a game and the sixth time they have recorded at least 45 boards in a contest. UB is averaging 41.0 rebounds per contest. If they keep it up, it will be just the third time since 1988-89 that the Bulls average over 40.0 rebounds per game for a season
The return matchup between these two teams in Muncie, IN has been selected by the Mid-American Conference and ESPN to air nationally on ESPN. The game has been moved to Friday night, Feb. 3 and it will tip off at 9:00 pm.
Ball State is 10-6 on the season and 1-2 in league play after picking up their first MAC win on Tuesday night, 85-74 against Miami (OH). Prior to that, Ball State had lost league games at Kent State and home against Bowling Green. The Cardinals rode a five-game winning streak during December in the midst of a stretch of six straight home games. Saturday marks just the sixth true road game for the Cardinals.
Ball State has three players averaging in double figures in scoring led by Tayler Persons, who is averaging 15.2 points per game and is shooting nearly 43% from three. Franko House is averaging 12.3 points and 6.4 rebounds and Sean Sellers added 10.1 points per contest shooting almost 45% from three. Trey Moses is the leading rebounder at 8.3 per contest.
Ball State currently ranks third in the MAC in three-point field goal percentage at .372 led by Sellers, who is fourth in the league in three point percentage and Persons, who is tied for sixth. Ball State leads the MAC at 16.3 assists per game.
James Whitford is in his fourth season at Ball State having led BSU to a 21-14 record last season and a trip to the Collegeinsider.com Postseason Tournament which marked Ball State’s first 20-win season and first postseason appearance in 14 years. Whitford was introduced as the 19th men’s basketball coach in Ball State history on April 10, 2013. In his career as an assistant coach at Arizona, Xavier and Miami University, his teams posted an overall record of 400-208, reached the NCAA tournament 10 times.
from UBBulls.com via IFTTT
