Ball State came into the season with low expectations. Polls predicted the Cardinals would be in last place in the MAC West after losing their head coach and senior leadership.
Instead, the team finds itself in a three-way tie for first place in the MAC West with Central Michigan and Toledo.
Playing in what may be their biggest game of the season so far, Ball State hasn’t beaten a team that’s over .500 since they beat Miami of Ohio on Jan. 10. After losing to Bowling Green a week later, they’ve reeled off five straight wins, keeping pace with Central Michigan. Many of the wins have been blowouts, something few people expected coming into what was supposed to be a challenging season.
The Chippawas are a daunting task. Ranked No. 12 in the nation in scoring, with just over 75 points per game, they have several dangerous players who are capable of having a big game.
Ranked No. 19 in the mid-majors, they’ve already knocked off three teams with higher rankings, including No. 2 Green Bay.
Defense will be a key for Ball State, which has been playing well lately. Giving up just 47.2 points per game in their five-game winning streak, they’ll need to slow down multiple players for Central Michigan who can all have the ability to have a big night.
Two sophomores appear to be the most dangerous on Central Michigan. Crystal Bradford leads the team with 15.1 points per game along with 9.4 rebounds, while Jessica Green is second with 11.6 points.
Ball State will counter with Nathalie Fontaine, who recently won MAC West player of the week for the first time in her career. Fontaine’s scoring has increased since the start of MAC play, and is averaging 12.7 points per game. Sparking the Cardinals’ offense, she led the team with 20 points against Western Michigan, and led with 14 against Eastern Michigan.
In a season that wasn’t expected to be much, a win against Central Michigan could potentially be a sign of bigger things to come. After a poor non-conference showing, Ball State seems to be playing with more heart and intensity, with the players gaining more confidence and young players emerging from the shadows to make an impact.
Fontaine has made an impact both with her scoring and rebounding. Sophomore Shelbie Justice has stepped up her play in the last couple of weeks, driving toward the basket and making opportunistic threes. Junior Brandy Woody has taken on a leadership role, and has demonstrated her heart and grit throughout the season by diving for loose balls and never giving up on a play.
A win against Central Michigan would stand for more than another dash in the victory column. It would be a sign of the progress made throughout the course of the season.
Marge:
Team comparison
Ball State:
Overall Record 10-11
Conference Record 7-1
PPG: 59.8
FG%: 38.3
3FG%: 30.6
Assists per game: 11.8
Turnover margin: +3.4
Central Michigan:
Overall Record 13-8
Conference Record 7-1
PPG: 75.3
FG%: 43
3FG%: 34.2
Assists per game: 13.8
Turnover margin: +1.5
