Zeigler and the Ball State Cardinals host conference foe Akron
Akron Zips (21-5, 12-1 MAC) at Ball State Cardinals (8-18, 3-10 MAC)
Muncie, Indiana; Friday, 6:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Armoni Zeigler and Ball State host Tavari Johnson and Akron in MAC action.
The Cardinals have gone 5-6 at home. Ball State has a 5-12 record against teams above .500.
The Zips are 12-1 in conference games. Akron averages 19.0 assists per game to lead the MAC, paced by Johnson with 5.2.
Ball State's average of 6.7 made 3-pointers per game is 2.6 fewer made shots on average than the 9.3 per game Akron allows. Akron scores 19.9 more points per game (89.9) than Ball State gives up (70.0).
The teams play for the second time in conference play this season. Akron won the last meeting 87-77 on Jan. 14. Johnson scored 22 points to help lead the Zips to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Davion Hill is scoring 12.7 points per game with 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Cardinals. Zeigler is averaging 14.4 points and 5.2 rebounds over the past 10 games.
Johnson is scoring 20.3 points per game and averaging 2.8 rebounds for the Zips. Amani Lyles is averaging 13.6 points and 8.1 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Cardinals: 4-6, averaging 63.7 points, 27.7 rebounds, 10.0 assists, 7.3 steals and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 40.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 70.3 points per game.
Zips: 9-1, averaging 84.3 points, 34.0 rebounds, 16.8 assists, 5.9 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 73.5 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Arsenal face ‘bottle job’ questions after implosion against Wolves, says club legend
Arsenal should be braced for accusations they are “bottle jobs” in the wake of a disappointing 2-2 draw at Wolves.
The Gunners were two goals in front after strikes from Bukayo Saka and Piero Hincapie, but Hugo Bueno pulled one back for the hosts before debutant Tom Edozie scored a last-gasp equaliser.
Arsenal are now five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, but Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand.
Speaking on Sky Sports, former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson said the mentality of Mikel Arteta’s side is going to come in for intense scrutiny in the season run-in.
“You can’t play in second gear. When it went 2-2, for the last three minutes there was an urgency, they didn’t have that [before Wolves’ equaliser]. You can’t play like that. Every game is a cup final until the end.
“You’ve got to play at a high tempo. If Arsenal play at a high tempo, Wolves can’t live with them. But to play the way they played, and it’s slow and lazy, and they are giving the ball away, then Wolves are always going to be in the game.
“That could come back to bite them. That is really, really disappointing tonight. It [criticism] is going come on full blast now – being ‘bottle jobs’, ‘melting’. It's full-on now.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was critical of his side’s performance.
“Extremely disappointed with the result and the way the game ended, but we have to blame ourselves,” he said. “In the second half we didn’t show anything close to the standards required in this league to win.
“It was one moment after another. Even though we scored the second goal, we never had control of the game — that’s the reality.”
Arsenal have now won only three of their last eight Premier League matches.
“Disappointed. Not much else to say,” Saka said. “There was a big difference between our first half and second half performances. We dropped our standards and were punished for it.
“It’s time to focus on ourselves, raise our standards and improve our performances. It’s in our control.”
Arteta said his team have to accept every criticism that comes their way and need to bounce back against Tottenham on Sunday.
He added: “That’s credit obviously to Wolves, they can’t be underestimated. It’s very basic things and simple things that today we did really wrong and that’s why we had the feeling without conceding much, when the game is open that kind of thing can happen.
“Any question, criticism, opinion, you have to take it on the chin today. That’s it. Any bullet, take it because we didn’t perform at the level required, Anything anybody says can be right because we didn’t do what we had to do. The way to do it is on the pitch on Sunday in another great opportunity we have.
“We have always done it but if you are strong you need to show it next time. To say it here is simple but we have to show it on the pitch.”
Wolves boss Rob Edwards saw his side pick up a second successive draw and was proud of the belief his side showed to gain an unlikely point.
“It’s nice to get a late equaliser and especially when you’re 2-0 down against a team like that. We’re up against Arsenal, everyone needs to have a bit of perspective. In the first 20-30 mins it was everything we expected the game to be like.
“We stayed in the game and that was important. We showed belief and played with a bit more emotion. To show that character and quality and all of that. It might be easier for the lads to lose belief but that’s not the case.”
VCU visits No. 18 Saint Louis following Avila's 21-point game
VCU Rams (21-6, 12-2 A-10) at Saint Louis Billikens (24-2, 12-1 A-10)
St. Louis; Friday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: No. 18 Saint Louis hosts VCU after Robbie Avila scored 21 points in Saint Louis' 81-76 loss to the Rhode Island Rams.
The Billikens are 16-0 in home games. Saint Louis is seventh in college basketball with 19.1 assists per game. Avila leads the Billikens averaging 4.3.
The Rams are 12-2 in conference games. VCU is second in the A-10 scoring 83.7 points per game and is shooting 46.7%.
Saint Louis averages 11.4 made 3-pointers per game, 4.8 more made shots than the 6.6 per game VCU gives up. VCU averages 15.9 more points per game (83.7) than Saint Louis gives up (67.8).
The teams play for the second time in conference play this season. Saint Louis won the last meeting 71-62 on Jan. 8. Kellen Thames scored 18 points points to help lead the Billikens to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Avila is averaging 12.7 points and 4.3 assists for the Billikens. Trey Green is averaging 11.9 points over the last 10 games.
Terrence Hill Jr. is averaging 14.6 points for the Rams. Jadrian Tracey is averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Billikens: 9-1, averaging 86.0 points, 35.6 rebounds, 18.8 assists, 7.6 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 51.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.5 points per game.
Rams: 10-0, averaging 81.0 points, 33.0 rebounds, 14.2 assists, 7.0 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 70.2 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Olympia 2026: Beste Medaillenchancen für deutsches Kombinierer-Duo
Johannes Rydzek und Vinzenz Geiger greifen in der Nordischen Kombination nach der ersehnten Medaille. Das Duo führt nach dem Springen.[mehr]