Wednesday, December 5, 2018, 8:00 p.m.
Gentile Arena, Chicago, Illinois

Ball State brings a high-scoring offense into Gentile Arena for their first-ever matchup with the Ramblers Wednesday night. The Cards have averaged 81.9 points per game on offense so far this season, and they’ve racked up an average of 92.3 points on offense in their last four games. Only #16 Virginia Tech and Alabama were able to keep the Cards under 65 points—Ball State put up 75 in a loss against #24 Purdue.

BSU plays five games in their non-con schedule against the MVC, and they’re already 2-0. They beat Indiana State by 17 on opening day in Terre Haute, and beat Evansville by 10 at home. After Loyola, they’ll play Evanston in Muncie and Valpo in NW Indiana.

Two experienced guards lead the Cardinals in scoring. Chunky 6’3” senior guard Tayler Persons is a prolific shooter who causes a lot of mismatches and contact with his football physique. Persons leads the team in assists, averages 17.5 points per game, and hits on 39.3% of his shots behind the arc. Junior guard K.J. Walton is another 6’3” guard, but he operates mostly inside. Walton averages 14.3 points per game shooting 55.4% from the field and adds 4.9 rebounds.

Ball State’s starting front court includes two forwards, 6’8” junior Tahjai Teague and 6’7” junior Kyle Mallers. Teague averages 13.3 points and adds 6.0 rebounds per game. Mallers averages 9.8 points and 4.0 rebounds, shooting primarily from three-point territory. Big 6’9” senior center Trey Moses is an impressive rim protector, averaging a team-high 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. Moses is not a great shooter (only 44% from the field and 55% from the line), but averages 6.9 points per game.

Three sophomores off the bench also see significant time: Ishmael El-Amin is a 6’1” guard from Minneapolis who averages 6.0 points per game, Brachen Hazen is a 6’8” sophomore forward (6.4 ppg), and Zach Gunn is a 6’6” forward averaging 5.1 ppg.

The experience and solid quality of the lineup returning from last year’s 19-win team prompted some high pre-season rankings for the Cardinals. College Sports Madness picked Ball State at #96 in their Top 144 preseason preview. The MAC preseason poll picked Ball State to finish 2nd in the MAC West Division and third overall behind Buffalo and Eastern Michigan. In Saturday’s 85-75 BSU win at IUPUI, five Cardinals scored in double figures as the team shot 56% from the field and 44% from distance.

The Ramblers are a little beat up after a win at UIC without starting sophomore guard Lucas Williamson. Freshmen guards Cooper Kaifes and Isaiah Bujdoso started in place of Williamson and forward Aher Uguak, and played significant minutes. Loyola only had six players in double digit minutes their last time out, as Coach Moser went with a four-guard lineup against UIC. The Cardinals will be playing three players at 6’7” or taller, which may present a dilemma for Loyola in terms of a game plan and starting lineup.

The matchup with Ball State might be decided by who controls the tempo. BSU likes to play a faster, wide open game. The Ramblers like to play a more deliberate style, wearing down teams with long possessions. KenPom ranks the Loyola defense 44th in the country and Ball State’s offense 74th. Ball State should be a deeper team for this meeting, with as many as 10 players able to go against the 8-deep Ramblers.

Loyola game notes: https://loyolaramblers.com/documents/20 ... df?id=8239

Ball State game notes: https://ballstatesports.com/documents/2 ... 120518.pdf

TV/Streaming video: ESPN + http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/d2bf13d6 ... olachicago

Live stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=234958

Vegas odds: Loyola by 4.5

Thanks for again taking the time from your busy schedule to post this.
Great analysis and insight into the game.

Thanks JCT for the preview. We still have yet to hit more than 8 threes in a game this season and I think that changes tonight. Coop and Clay combine for 7 threes, we make 10 as a team, and Loyola holds off a late comeback attempt to win 80-71.

that's a little familiar.

Some of their fans don't think we are in the same class as Buffalo..

http://overthepylon.boards.net/thread/2 ... la-chicago

Another poster seems to believe they've already played three teams that are better than us.


Here's to hoping we hit our threes tonight and put these guys away early.

They probably have played three teams that are better that us... but they haven't beaten any of them.

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Interesting that the line has already moved from 4.5 to 6 (per odds on ESPN). Ball State has played a pretty good schedule, although they’ve lost all of their toughest games (as Ahunte noted), similar to us I suppose. But, Nevada is better than any team they’ve played. I noticed on their board someone made an observation that we struggled with the athleticism of Nevada, and maybe they could take advantage of that. If they honestly believe their talent is in any way comparable to Nevada...well I’ll just have to agree to disagree with them on that.

Looks like the game is also on NBC Sports Chicago in addition to ESPN+.

Dang JCT, I was feeling pretty confident about this game until I read your preview. Looks like they have a decent team and they were also able to hang with Purdue for the 1st half. Either way...Ramblers will get a close win.

In the undercard, UIC leads Illinois State 54-43 at half.

Bruno is not dressed for the game. Looks like a right wrist injury.