The Ball State Cardinals and Missouri State Bears meet Saturday in college basketball action at the Baha Mar Convention Center. The Ball State Cardinals look for their fourth victory. The Missouri State Bears look to get above a .500 record.
The Ball State Cardinals are averaging 82 points on 51.2 percent shooting and allowing 66.6 points on 41.3 percent shooting. Jarron Coleman is averaging 15.3 points and 2.3 assists, while Payton Sparks is averaging 14.8 points and 6.3 rebounds. Demarius Jacobs is the third double-digit scorer and Jaylin Sellers is grabbing 6.7 rebounds. The Ball State Cardinals are shooting 36.3 percent from beyond the arc and 67.5 percent from the free throw line. The Ball State Cardinals are allowing 34.3 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 36.2 rebounds per game.
The Missouri State Bears are averaging 68.8 points on 45.9 percent shooting and allowing 58 points on 37.2 percent shooting. Chance Moore is averaging 18.3 points and 7 rebounds, while Alston Mason is averaging 11.7 points and 2 rebounds. Donovan Clay is grabbing 5.7 rebounds and Bryan Trimble Jr. is grabbing 2 rebounds. The Missouri State Bears are shooting 34 percent from beyond the arc and 61.2 percent from the free throw line. The Missouri State Bears are allowing 27.2 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 35 rebounds per game.
Only one of the Ball State Cardinal’s three wins this season have come against division 1 teams, and their effort against Vermont yesterday wasn’t all that encouraging. The Missouri State Bears have their issues as well, but they’re able to dig deep defensively, and them taking BYU down to the buzzer on the road is the most promising thing either of these teams have done so far. I’m more impressed with Missouri State at the moment. I’ll side with the Bears in this early tip.