Preview: Ball State Cardinals at Ohio Bobcats ATHENS, Ohio (Interstat) — The Ball State Cardinals visit the Ohio Bobcats in a Mid-American Conference men’s basketball matchup Tuesday afternoon at the Convocation Center, with both teams looking to halt recent slides. Ball State (8-17, 4-8 MAC) enters on a two-game losing streak following a 68-75 home loss to Kent State on Saturday. The Cardinals have struggled offensively, failing to reach 70 points in four of their last five games. Ohio (12-13, 6-6 MAC) has also lost two straight, including a 74-90 defeat at Miami (Ohio) last Friday. The Bobcats have been inconsistent in conference play, alternating wins and losses over their last six MAC contests. The game features a compelling backcourt duel. Ball State will lean on guard Davion Hill, who is coming off a 17-point, 8-rebound performance against Kent State. Over his last seven games, Hill is averaging 14.9 points. Ohio counters with guard Jackson Paveletzke, who scored 22 points in the loss to Miami. Paveletzke has been a primary facilitator, recording double-digit assists twice in his last four games, including an 11-assist outing in a win at Buffalo. In the season’s first meeting on Jan. 16 in Muncie, Ball State secured a 76-71 victory. The Cardinals have won three of their last four against the Bobcats. For Ball State, finding consistent scoring beyond Hill is crucial. Guard Devon Barnes added 14 points off the bench against Kent State. Ohio will look for more production from forwards Javan Simmons and JJ Kelly to support Paveletzke. Both teams are in the bottom half of the MAC standings and need a win to build momentum for the final stretch of the regular season. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.