Western Michigan Broncos (16-9, 7-7 MAC)
vs. Ball State Cardinals (18-8, 11-3 MAC)
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m.
Kalamazoo, Mich. (University Arena)

TV - ESPN3
Radio - 1660 AM The Fan with Garrison Diehl
Live Stats - wmu.statbroadcast.com
Twitter - @WMU_WBB

HOME STRETCH
With four games left in the season, three of which will come at home for WMU, the Broncos are currently sitting in eighth place in the MAC and would host Bowling Green if the season ended today. WMU has won two straight coming into the game with Ball State, including a 70-60 victory over Eastern Michigan last time out in the team's Play 4Kay game. The final four games on the schedule will come against the top-four teams in the MAC West. 

PICK YOUR POCKET
The Broncos lead the MAC in steals at 9.9 per game and boast the top-two players in the conference individually. Sophomore Deja Wimby (3.1) and senior Meredith Shipman (2.9) come in ranked one and two in the league. The two have combined for 26 games where at least one of the two have had at least three steals and the duo totaled 17 steals in the last two games. 

SHIPMAN'S SHOOTING STREAK
Senior Meredith Shipman has been hot as of late, hitting multiple 3-pointers in 10 straight games and 18 games this season. She is now fifth in career 3-pointers made at WMU (161) and is chasing Julia Henson (2011-14) for fourth place with 165. In MAC play, she is fifth in 3-pointers made (39) and tied for 10th in 3-point field goal percentage (.375). She leads the team with five 20+ point performances this season.

THE MATCHUP
The Broncos and Cardinals first met in 1975, with the Cardinals holding a 41-36 lead. Ball State has owned the recent history, winning nine of the last 10 and three straight, including the meeting earlier this season where the Cardinals snapped the Broncos' 10-game winning streak. WMU leads 20-15 when playing at Kalamazoo. In the earlier meeting, senior Meredith Shipman scored a game-high 20 points and hit five triples. 

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
Ball State, who is coached by fifth year head coach Brady Sallee, enters this game  with an 18-8 overall record and is 11-3 in the MAC and 8-2 on the road this season. The team is led by Renee Bennett, who scores 17.5 ppg and averages 8.3 rebounds, both of which lead the team. Three other players score in double-figures for the Cardinals in Moriah Monaco (15.7), Jill Morrison (10.3) and Destiny Washington (10.1). Ball State, who has won five straight MAC road games coming into this contest, have the No. 3 ranked scoring offense (79.6) and No. 5 ranked scoring defense (67.6).