This season, Ball State has taken last year's second and third place teams, Ohio University and the University of Toledo, down to the last event, but fallen short each time. Coach Laura Seibold-Caudill said that even though the Cardinals weren't able to pull off those defeats, this year's Ball State team is not the same one that finished last in last season's MAC Championships.
For the Cardinals to have a good chance at a win, the team will bank on another strong performance from junior Eduardo Pavia. Pavia won in straight-sets at No. 1 singles against Purdue University last Saturday.
The Cardinals had eight first-place performances in last week's Indiana Wesleyan Invitational, and they hope to continue that trend today. Three of those first places came from sophomore Janae Taylor, who won the 60-meter dash, the 200-meter dash and was the anchor leg in Ball State's 4x200 meter relay team.
Davis led the way for the Cardinals (12-9, 6-3 Mid-American Conference) with a game-high 18 points and four assists to just one turnover in 33 minutes of action. Three other Ball State players scored in double-digits: Watson had 14 points and nine rebounds, sophomore center Jarrod Jones earned a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds and Scaife added 10 points.
Sporting its longest winning streak in six years, Ball State University will host the University of Akron, the defending Mid-American Conference champion, Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals (12-9, 6-3) have won four straight and five of their last six games to reassert themselves in the MAC race.
Today's games are being telecast regionally by Fox Sports Net. The last time the channel hosted a men's-women's Ball State basketball double-header was Jan. 17, when the Cardinals swept the University of Toledo; the men's team won 71-43, while the women's team squeaked by with a 73-69 victory.
This will be the first meet of the season for Ball State not on a Sunday. Coach Nadalie Walsh said that she thinks the short week will not affect her team, adding that the gymnasts have been efficient in practice to be prepared for the meet.
Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. In gymnastics, close is the difference between winning and losing. The Ball State University gymnastics team learned that lesson the hard way yet again. The team was one fall on the balance beam short of a perfect meet – being able to count 20 clean routines – as it lost to Illinois State University (194.15-193.925) Friday night.
Ball State (6-1, 1-1 MIVA) is on a six-match winning streak. The Cardinals' winning streak is tied for the nation's longest active streak with Loyola University, who defeated Ball State in both teams' season opener.
It's a major turnaround for a team that ended last season poorly, finishing 5-13 overall and 0-8 in the MAC. While coach Amy Behrman wasn't with the team last year, she's quick to point out that health has played a big role in the team's recent resurgence.
Ohio State has now won 13 of their 16 matches with Ball State, and coach Joel Walton believes that recent history is giving the Buckeyes a mental edge.
Ben Battjes, Adam Dale, Tyler Dixon, Ben Karwoski, Austin Laska, Jordan Rantz and Josh Young will be honored in senior day festivities for the Cardinals
Bowling Green leads the MAC in total offense, scoring 74 points a game while holding opponents to just more than 60 points a game. The Falcons also lead the MAC in free throw percentage and field goal percentage.
The Cardinals finish the two-day invitational today. For continuing coverage, check back with bsudailynews.com.
For 33 minutes Thursday night, Randy Davis played almost flawless basketball. The point guard led Ball State University to a 64-59 victory against Bowling Green State University with a game-high 18 points and four assists. Davis turned the ball over only once, and made five of his six free throws.
The Cardinals (3-1) won all six of their singles matches — some in dominating fashion. Five of the six matches were won in two sets. Junior Hayley Hall led the team with a victory in the No. 1 singles match, defeating IUPUI freshman and reigning Summit League Player of the Week Hunter Bullock 6-2, 7-5. The loss was Bullock's first of the season.
Each week, The Ball State Daily News sports staff picks its PPQ — the player, play and quote of the week. And, with the help of our online readers, the weekly fan choice is also featured. To vote in next week's poll, be sure to visit Monday's online edition of The Ball State Daily News.
As Stan Parrish announced Ball State University's 2010 recruiting class Wednesday afternoon, he didn't shy away from heaping big expectations on his future players. Ball State signed 21 high school seniors on National Signing Day, a group that Parrish is very confident in.
Ball State had three head coaching spots to fill after the coaches in women's tennis, soccer and field hockey were all fired within a one month period in October and November.
Roberts led UT Martin to a combined record of 34-27-12 in four seasons. In the past three seasons, the Skyhawks were 19-3-1 on their home field. In his most recent season, UT Martin went 9-7-0 and won its first Ohio Valley Conference championship in program history.
