BGSU men’s basketball is set to wrap up a two-game road trip against Ball State on Saturday in Muncie, Indiana. The Falcons and Cardinals will face off inside Worthen Arena at 2 p.m.
A win would give Bowling Green a 2-1 start in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play for the third straight season and the seventh time in the past eight years.
A victory would also mark consecutive wins for just the second time this season and the first time the Falcons have secured back-to-back road wins this year.
Matchup History
Saturday marks the 97th meeting between the teams, with BG leading the all-time series 55-41.
BGSU won both meetings against the Cardinals last season, ending Ball State’s four-game winning streak in the series.
While the Falcons have won seven of the last 10 matchups in Muncie, Ball State holds a 27-19 advantage when hosting the Orange and Brown.
Scouting Bowling Green
BGSU enters the game with a 6-8 overall and 1-1 conference record this season.
After dropping their first MAC game of the season against Akron in heartbreaking fashion on Jan. 3, 71-68, the Falcons completed a 14-point comeback to beat Western Michigan 83-79 on Tuesday.
Bowling Green’s offense has been efficient this season.
BG leads the MAC with 77.1% shooting on free throws and ranks second with 35.3% shooting on three-pointers. The Falcons also rank fourth in the conference with 78.0 points per game and 45.6% shooting from the field.
While they have not been dominant, BGSU’s defense has been solid.
The Falcons hold opponents to just 30.4% shooting from deep, which is the best mark in the MAC. However, they also allow 74.9 points per game, the fourth-worst mark in the conference.
Bowling Green’s rebounding has been average this year, ranking sixth in the MAC with 34.9 rebounds and 9.8 offensive boards per game.
However, the Falcons have dominated the glass in the past three games, outrebounding opponents 134-106 and averaging 16 rebounds per contest.
Scouting Ball State
Ball State enters the game with a slightly better record than BG, sitting at 7-7 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
After defeating Kent State 75-67 on Jan. 4 to begin 2025, the Cardinals fell to Miami (OH) 80-72 on Tuesday.
Ball State’s offense has been middle of the pack this season, ranking sixth in the MAC with 75.2 points per game and 33.4% shooting from beyond the arc. The Cardinals also rank just seventh in the conference with 44.8% shooting from the floor and ninth with 69.6% shooting from the charity stripe.
BSU’s defense has been one of the best in the MAC this season.
The Cardinals hold opponents to just 70.9 points per game and 41.4% shooting from the field, the second-best marks in the conference. They also hold the opposition to just 30.7% shooting on three-pointers, the third-best mark in the MAC.
However, Ball State only forces 10.9 turnovers per game, which is the second-fewest in the conference.
Falcon Four Players to Watch
Javontae Campbell (Bowling Green #2)
The junior guard is in the process of putting together a historic defensive season. Campbell ranks second in the country with 3.4 steals per game and third with 48 steals.
He is currently on pace for 106 steals in BGSU’s 31 scheduled regular season games, which would obliterate BGSU’s program record of 82, set by DeMar Moore in the 1996-97 campaign. He is also on pace to break the MAC’s record of 103 steals in a season, set by Ball State’s Bonzi Wells in 1997-98.
Campbell also leads Bowling Green with 51% shooting from the field and 42 assists, while ranking 10th in the MAC with 15.2 points per game.
Trey Thomas (Bowling Green #1)
The senior guard struggled for most of non-conference play.
However, Thomas has stepped up over the past couple of games for the Falcons. He has led BGSU in scoring in back-to-back games, tallying 41 combined points, shooting 14-26 from the field and 8-12 from deep against Akron and Western Michigan.
The junior guard has been efficient this season, averaging a team and MAC-leading 16.9 points per game.
The Bessemer, Alabama, native has scored at least 20 points five times this season, including in two of the past three contests.
The senior center has been welcomed back at Ball State with open arms. After playing last season at Indiana, Sparks returned to Muncie, where he played his first two collegiate seasons.
The Winchester, Indiana, native currently leads the MAC with 63% shooting from the field. He also ranks fourth in the conference with 6.7 rebounds per game and sixth with 31 offensive boards.
