Ole Miss faces Ball State in NCAA Tournament first round

The Ole Miss Rebels will face the Ball State Cardinals in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at 6 p.m. EDT, in Waco, Texas. The Rebels are ranked 25th and have a 20-10 record overall. They performed well in the SEC with an 11-7 record and won 9 out of 12 games against non-conference teams. Ball State has a better overall record at 27-7, dominating the MAC with a remarkable 19-2. Both teams have had close games, with the Rebels struggling, having only one win in games decided by less than four points. Ball State, on the other hand, remains unbeaten in similar close contests. Ole Miss shoots 44.2% from the field this season, while Ball State's opponents have shot only 37.7%. Conversely, the Cardinals have a field goal percentage of 45.2%, compared to 41.3% for the teams Ole Miss has faced. Key players include Madison Scott for Ole Miss, who is scoring an average of 11.9 points per game. Alex Richard leads Ball State with an impressive 15.9 points and shoots 54.7%. Both teams are coming off strong performances, with Ole Miss winning 6 of their last 10 games and Ball State winning 8. The stage is set for an exciting matchup in the tournament.