GAME NOTES: Mid-American Conference play will take place this afternoon when the Ball State Cardinals get set to host the Central Michigan Chippewas at Worthen Arena. Since starting the year with five straight losses, the Chippewas have won six of their last eight games, including two in a row. The last time CMU was on the court the team grabbed a solid 62-53 win over Eastern Michigan. The Chippewas have struggled on the road this year, as five of the team's seven losses have come away from home. As for the Cardinals, they have lost 12 of their 13 games this season. The lone win for BSU was a 69-62 victory over IPFW back on December 31st. The last time the Cardinals took the floor the team suffered a tough, 58-54 loss to Toledo. Ball State has dominated the all- time series against Central Michigan, posting a 50-27 advantage over the Chippewas.

Giordan Watson is clearly the top option for Central Michigan, as the guard is averaging 16.2 ppg, while shooting an impressive 44.2 percent from behind the arc. However, there is not much else on the roster for CMU. Nate Minnoy is the only other player netting double figures for the Chippewas, as the forward is posting 11.2 ppg to go along with 5.0 rpg. The last time the Chippewas were on the floor the team only scored 62 points, but it was enough to slip past Eastern Michigan by a nine-point margin. In the win, CMU shot 48.0 percent from the field and was led by Watson, who scored 12 points and dished out seven assists. Jeremy Allen and Jordan Bitzer added 11 points apiece in the victory.

The good news for Ball State is the return of Anthony Newell, who is averaging 21.3 ppg. However, the bad news for the Cardinals is the team is still in the midst of possibly the worst year in the history of the program. Along with Newell, only Peyton Stovall is producing double figures, as the forward is netting 14.6 ppg to go along with a team-best 6.3 rpg. The last time Ball State was on the court the team suffered a four-point loss to Toledo. In the setback, the Cardinals shot just 40.4 percent from the field and connected on only 4-of-15 attempts from long range. Newell led the way with 22 points and eight rebounds, while Stovall added 18 points on a 5-of-12 effort from the field.

Even with Newell back on the court, the Cardinals will have a tough time against a much better Central Michigan squad.