Preview: Ball State Cardinals at South Dakota State Jackrabbits BROOKINGS, S.D. (Interstat) — Two of the nation’s hotter mid-major women’s basketball teams will clash Sunday when the Ball State Cardinals visit the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Frost Arena. The nonconference matchup features teams with a combined 17-5 record. South Dakota State (9-2) enters on a four-game winning streak, most recently edging Northern Iowa 59-57 on the road Wednesday. Ball State (8-3) looks to rebound from a 93-62 loss at Louisville that same afternoon, which snapped a three-game win streak for the Cardinals. The game will be a showcase for two standout forwards. Ball State is led by sophomore Bree Salenbien, who averages 16.2 points per game. She has been a consistent force, scoring in double figures in nine of 11 games, including a 26-point, nine-rebound effort in just 14 minutes against Oakland City on Dec. 3. She will duel with South Dakota State’s Brooklyn Meyer, a dominant presence averaging 18.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. Meyer is coming off a strong all-around performance at Northern Iowa with 14 points, four assists and three blocks. She scored 28 points in consecutive games against Northern Arizona and Columbia last week. Ball State’s offense, averaging 75.5 points, will test a stout South Dakota State defense that allows just 60.5 points per game. The Cardinals have shown explosiveness, scoring 119 points in their last home game, but struggled offensively in road losses at Davidson and Louisville. The Jackrabbits have proven resilient, with their only losses coming to then-North Carolina and Columbia on a neutral floor. They own a ranked road win, defeating then-Kansas State 82-70 on Nov. 29. This contest serves as a final tune-up before both teams enter challenging stretches. South Dakota State visits Duke on Thursday, while Ball State opens Mid-American Conference play at home against Eastern Michigan on Dec. 20. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. CST Sunday at Frost Arena, where the Jackrabbits are 4-0 this season.