Miami, FL
5-0 in #MACtion, Defense Leads Women’s Volleyball to Sweep at Miami – Ball State University Athletics
With the win, the Cardinals improve to 9-8 overall and to 5-0 in Mid-American Conference play, setting up yet another battle of undefeated MAC teams in Worthen Arena when Toledo (14-3; 5-0 MAC) visits Friday night at 6 p.m. for Red Out Night.
Ball State’s 78 digs against the RedHawks (9-8; 3-2 MAC) were the second-best for the squad this season and the most in a three-setter since recording 88 versus Eastern Michigan on Nov. 2, 2013. The defensive effort was led by 18 digs from both sophomore libero Sophie Ledbetter and freshman setter Reese Axness.
For Axness, the 18 digs were a career high, and combined with 15 assists, helped her achieve her first collegiate assist/dig double-double. Sophomore outside Carson Tyler also finished the match with a double-double, her 10th of the season, with 11 kills and 11 digs.
As impressive as the digs were, the Cardinals also won the battle at the net against a Miami squad which entered the night leading the league in blocking. Ball State tallied 9.0 total blocks, led by five from junior middle Gwen Crull. Crull also led squad with a career-high 13 kills and a .522 (13-1-23) attack percentage, while serving up a pair of aces.
Overall, the Ball State offense connected for a .225 (50-18-142) rate of success, with junior setter Lindsey Green adding a match-high 17 assists to Axness’ 15. The pair helped graduate outside Noelle VanOort and sophomore opposite Tiffany Snook each collecting eight.
The MAC’s top hitter based on attack percentage, junior middle Camryn Wise added seven kills and hit .429 (7-1-14). Through five MAC matches, Wise has logged 33 kills to just three errors.
Also aiding in the solid backcourt effort were Green with nine digs and junior defensive specialist Elizabeth Tabeling with eight. Overall, 10 of the 12 Cardinals to reach the court Tuesday collected at least two digs.
Thanks to its solid defensive play, Ball State limited the Miami attack to a .090 (31-19-133) rate of success, its third-lowest mark of the season. Molly Creech led the RedHawks with six kills and 17 digs, while Gentry Warrick was able to tie for match-high honors with five total blocks.
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Mississippi football’s Nick Cull avoided an ejection during the College Football Playoff Fiesta Bowl semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 8.
As Malachi Toney reeled in a catch from Carson Beck at the Miami 49 in the first quarter, he was hit by Cull in a helmet-to-helmet collision. Right away, the officials flagged Cull for targeting, with both Toney and Cull staying down on the field with an injury.
After officials reviewed the play, the call on the field was overturned, as the officials determined that Cull did not launch and the collision seemed to be incidental. Replay assistant Matt Austin concurred with the call on the field.
The play had a major impact on the game as well. If the call had been upheld, Miami would have had the ball at the Ole Miss 34-yard line with a chance to expand its 3-0 lead. However, a few plays later, the Hurricanes were forced to punt from the 49-yard line.
On the first play of the second quarter, Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacey scored on a 73-yard run to give the Rebels a 7-3 lead.
Because he was not called for targeting, Cull was not ejected from the game, which means Ole Miss will have him for the remainder of the game, if he can clear the concussion protocol. He was in the tent following the play.
Cull has 15 total tackles and three pass deflections this season for the Rebels.
Meanwhile, Toney went to the medical tent briefly for the Hurricanes, but returned to the game.
A crash involving an unmarked Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office vehicle was reported in Northwest Miami-Dade on Thursday morning, and the morning commute was impacted as a result.
Few details have been released, but the crash was reported in the area of Northwest 79th street and Interstate 95.
Video from the scene showed that the vehicles had heavy damage.
The sheriff’s office said the crash also involved a civilian vehicle, and no injuries were reported.
No other information was released.
The Minnesota Timberwolves announced that guard Anthony Edwards is now available to play in Tuesday night’s game against the Miami Heat after originally being listed as questionable with right foot injury maintenance.
Here’s the rest of the injury report and game preview:
INJURY REPORT
HEAT
Tyler Herro: Available – Toe
Jaime Jaquez Jr.: Out – Ankle
Nikola Jovic: Available – Groin
Terry Rozier: Out – Not with team
TIMBERWOLVES
Anthony Edwards: Available – Foot
Terrence Shannon Jr.: Out – Foot
Joan Beringer: Out – G League
Game date, time and location: Tuesday, Jan. 6, 8:00 p.m. EST, Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
TV: TV: Peacock,
Radio: 104.3 FM (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale), ESPN 106.3 FM, (West Palm Beach), FOX Sports Radio 105.9 FM (Ft. Myers/Naples), 1450 AM (Suart), 97.7 FM (Florida Keys), WAQI 710 AM (Spanish-language broadcast, South Florida) 100.3 FM (Minnesota)
VITALS: The Miami Heat (20-16) and Minnesota Timberwolves (23-13) meet for the second and final regular season matchup after just facing off three days ago with Minnesota recording a, 125-115, win in Miami on January 3. The teams split the series, 1-1, last season with each squad winning on the road. The Heat are 36-35 all-time versus Minnesota during the regular season,
including 19-16 in home games and 17-19 in road games.
PROJECTED STARTERS
HEAT
G Davion Mitchell
G Tyler Herro
C Bam Adebayo
F Norman Powell
F Andrew Wiggins
TIMBERWOLVES
G Donte DiVincenzo
G Anthony Edwards
C Rudy Gobert
F Jaden McDaniels
F Julius Randle
Spread: Heat +5.5 (-112), Timberwolves -5.5 (-108)
Moneyline: Heat +166, Timberwolves -198
Total points scored: 239.5 (over -106, under -114)
QUOTABLE
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra on the forced turnovers: “That is and has to be our identity. We have to play with a recklessness and activity level that exceeds our opponent, and thats not to put down our talent level or anything like that, it’s more about we look different when we’re flying around and making plays and making it tough for the opponent.”
For more Miami Heat information and conversation, check out Off The Floor.
Alexander Toledo is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI and producer/co-host of the Five on the Floor podcast, covering the Heat and NBA. He can be reached at Twitter: @tropicalblanket
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