Tuesday, March 4th, 7:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Worthen Arena (11,500) -- Muncie, Indiana. Television: None. Home Record: NIU 5-7, BSU 4-10. Away Record: NIU 1-10, BSU 1-12. Neutral Record: NIU 0-2, BSU 0-0. Conference Record: NIU 3-10, BSU 4-10. Series Record: Ball State leads, 40-30.

GAME NOTES: The two worst teams in the West Division of the Mid-American Conference will collide this evening when the Ball State Cardinals host Northern Illinois Huskies at the Worthen Arena. The Huskies fell to a division worst 3-10 with an 80-73 setback to CMU this past weekend. It was the seventh loss in the last eight games for NIU, which has collected only six wins on the year. As for the Cardinals, they dropped nine of their last 11 contests, including a 75-64 setback to Eastern Michigan this past Saturday. It has been a long season for BSU, which has only five wins on the year. However, four of those victories have come at Worthen Arena. The Cardinals will close out this disastrous season on the road against Western Michigan this Sunday. Earlier this season the Huskies defeated BSU, 60-58. However, the Cardinals still hold a 40-30 edge in the all-time series.

The Huskies have had very little success offensively this season and that is largely due to the fact that the team does not possess a consistent scoring option. Darion Anderson is currently pacing the team with 11.4 ppg, and is also pulling down 5.2 rpg. Jarvis Nichols is the only other player netting double- figures for NIU, as the guard is chipping in 10.5 ppg. as a whole, Northern Illinois is producing The last time the Huskies took the floor the team scored 73 points, but still fell to Central Michigan, 80-73. In the loss, NIU shot 43.5 percent from the floor, but made just 3-of-12 attempts from behind the arc and also committed 22 turnovers. Anderson poured in 23 points and also collected 11 rebounds in the loss, while Nichols tallied 17 points.

Much like their counterpart, the Cardinals have also struggled at the offensive end of the floor, scoring a meager 57.6 ppg, while shooting only 40.1 percent from the field. Anthony Newell has been one of the few bright spots for BSU, as the forward is netting 16.4 ppg to go along with 8.3 rpg. Peyton Stovall is the only other player chipping in double figures, and comes into this game with 13.8 ppg. The offensive woes for BSU continued this past weekend, as the squad fell to Eastern Michigan, 75-64. The Cardinals shot 50.0 percent in the loss, but made only 4-of-12 three-point attempts and committed 19 turnovers. Newell led the way with 15 points, while Rashaun McLemore added 14 points and Stovall tallied 12 points to go along with six assists and five rebounds.

The Huskies got the better of Ball State earlier this season, but the Cardinals have more consistent scoring options in Newell and Stovall and should be able to win at home.

Predicted Outcome

Ball State 67, Northern Illinois 63