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FOOTBALL: Cards finish with a flourish

Ball State upsets Western Michigan 22-17 in final game of year

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Defensive backs coach Daryl Dixon’s challenge was directed at Sean Baker, but it could have gone to the entire Ball State University football team. Baker had let an interception slip through his hands as Ball State attempted to close out their 22-17 upset of Western Michigan University on Wednesday night. From the press box high above Waldo Stadium, Dixon issued his directive at the safety. Full story

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MEN'S BASKETBALL: Unique defense, missed free throws doom Ball State in loss to UC-Davis

If most basketball teams want to win close contests down the stretch and convert zero shots in the final eight minutes of the game, then free throw shooting typically becomes critical to winning or losing. The Ball State University men's basketball team did exactly that Saturday afternoon against the University of California-Davis by not making a single shot from the field in the final 8:19 of the second half. Full story

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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Ball State defeats Valpo, but Maggert's double-double streak ends

The streak is over. Ball State University (2-2) junior forward Emily Maggert’s three-game streak of posting double-doubles came to an end Tuesday night at the hands of Valparaiso University (3-1). Despite the string of great performances coming to an end for Maggert, the Cardinals still found a way to upend the Crusaders 71-64. Full story

News

E-mail accounts to get more options

The Ball State University Communications Center announced changes made effective today to university student and faculty e-mail accounts.

Until today, accounts that were new since May 2009 and had the default option of “opt-in” will be changed to the option of “opt-out.”

Heorot to host sideshow acts

"Strange and Deranged," the showcase group from Austin, Texas, is on its first tour since it was formed.
Jackie Molen, a group member, said everyone in the group has experience from other shows they performed at.
“We were all from different shows, we were all roommates and we just decided to start up our own group,” she said.

Students rally to finish projects to help East Muncie community

Landscape architecture’s annual ‘design week’ comes to an end

More than 100 landscape architecture students packed into the first floor of the Architecture Building on Monday night to work on their department’s annual design week project. Sheets of trace paper, maps of Muncie, rulers and lead pencils were scattered across rectangular tables as students brainstormed and sketched out their ideas.

John Motloch, interim chairman of the landscape architecture department, said this year’s project is to rework the industrial Eastside of Muncie into something more welcoming and usable. The area, near the intersection of Jackson Street and White River Boulevard, has been in a bit of disrepair and recently saw the demolition of the Indiana Steel and Wire factory, which had been idle since 2002.

University Senate discusses cheating

Software capable of identifying copied and pasted information

As the ability to plagiarize sources for research papers has become more prevalent, so have programs to catch students in the act.

Text matching is similar to plagiarizing, and faculty at Ball State University are looking for ways to reduce this practice of copying and pasting.

At Monday’s University Senate Agenda Committee meeting, a task force reported on its trial experience with a text-matching program available through the Blackboard Beyond program.

Opinion

OUR VIEW: (Not) Home for the holiday

AT ISSUE: If you're stuck in Muncie for break, it won't be so bad; there's still fun things to do

The vast majority of us will be home for Thanksgiving the rest of the week. But, if you live in the area or are not going home for any reason — you hate your family, your family hates you, you can’t afford a plane ticket, etc. — there are a few fun things to do during the break.

BOOZERS AND LOSERS: Family holidays exhausting

Oh, Thanksgiving. With interstate congestion, relatives lingering long after dessert and the imminent Black Friday, what’s not to love? Not that I don’t think about my family, but maybe I don’t think about them as much when I’m 150 miles safely away, though it’s evident they think about me. In the past, Thanksgiving dinner proceeds like an interview, my mom silently laughing in her seat while my grandpa asks if they still keep the boys and the girls in different classrooms. And everyone takes a third glass of wine.

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CALIFORNIA KIRCHUBEL: 'Twilight' fad is annoying, tedious

The past three years has seen the rise of a phenomenon that is sweeping middle school girls across the world; you folks know it as “Twilight.” The first of those books, “Twilight,” was written by Stephenie Meyer, a stay-at-home mom from Arizona.

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DN|SportsUpdate

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Ball State defeats North Dakota

The three-pronged attack of the Ball State University women's basketball team was too much for the University of North Dakota Sunday afternoon. Less than 48 hours after a disappointing performance at North Dakota State University, Ball State (3-3) regrouped and used stellar performances by Audrey McDonald, Danielle Gratton, and Emily Maggert to pick up their third win of the season and get back to .

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Ball State loses to UC-Davis, 60-58

Scaife leads Ball State for second straight game with 14 points

The Cardinals led 32-28 at halftime, but untimely turnovers and a stifling Aggies' zone defense caused problems for Ball State's ball handlers, forcing 16 turnovers in the game.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Ball State falls to North Dakota State

A black Friday road trip to the remote city of Fargo, North Dakota proved to be a stern test for the Ball State University women’s basketball team (2-3). The test was too much for the Cardinals however as North Dakota State Universiy (2-3) rallied from behind mid-way through the second half to down Ball State 65-57.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Ball State to play in 2010 Great Alaska Shootout

Cardinals will make first appearance in Thanksgiving weekend tournament

The Great Alaska Shootout announced the participants for next year’s tournament this week and Ball State will make its first appearance in the Thanksgiving weekend tournament.

Features

Big Brother, big pride

Mentor, youth bond over business as part of volunteer program

A regular businessman is in the making: Austen Wable, 11, owns a candy machine at Vanilla Green, a miniature golf course near the Muncie Mall. His Big Brother, junior Spencer Ozbun, is helping him learn about money. Ozbun initially filled the machine with candy for Austen, but it is Austen’s responsibility to check the machine and use the money he’s made to buy more when it’s low.
“He’s saving up to buy a new machine so he can expand his empire,” junior Hannah Staton, Ozbun’s girlfriend, said.
Ozbun has been volunteering for Big Brothers, Big Sisters, a mentoring program for children providing stability and consistency in their lives, since he was 16 years old, and this year, he was named Big Brother of the Year. He said it feels good to be recognized.

Students transition to new state

12% of on-campus population comes from outside Indiana

Sarah Chaney, an 18-year-old sophomore from Sunnyvale, Calif., is proud to be an out-of-state student.
“My hometown is about 45 minutes from the ocean,” Chaney said. “And you can see lots of mountains in the distance.”
Out-of-state students at Ball State University comprise 12 percent of the on-campus population, according to the university’s Web site.

Harvest celebrations

Thanksgiving festivals have crossed cultures for centuries

Almost 400 years ago, British colonists in Plymouth, Mass., broke bread with members of the Wampanoag tribe. Although this harvest celebration has long been considered the very first Thanksgiving, the idea of celebrating the autumn harvest was hardly new. American Indians had a rich history of harvest celebration prior to the 1621 meal and records provide evidence that colonists in Virginia held a formal “thanksgiving” to God in 1619.
The festivities are no North American phenomenon. Here is how countries around the world celebrate the harvest:

Sports

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Unique defense, missed free throws doom Ball State in loss to UC-Davis

If most basketball teams want to win close contests down the stretch and convert zero shots in the final eight minutes of the game, then free throw shooting typically becomes critical to winning or losing.

The Ball State University men's basketball team did exactly that Saturday afternoon against the University of California-Davis by not making a single shot from the field in the final 8:19 of the second half.

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FOOTBALL: Cards finish with a flourish

Ball State upsets Western Michigan 22-17 in final game of year

An 87-yard punt return by Charlie Todd and five Western Michigan turnovers catapult Ball State to a 22-17 victory.

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CROSS COUNTRY: Bishel falls 20 seconds shy of being All-American

Despite shedding three seconds off her season-best six-kilometer time, redshirt junior Ali Bishel finished in 67th place at the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championships on Monday afternoon.

“You go into it to run the best race and beat as many people as you can,” cross country coach Randy Heisler said. “Realistically you know your PR and those of the other people. It was a season-best time for Ali; so from that perspective she did well.”

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Ball State travels to Temple

Two distinctly different wins at home opened the 2009-10 season for the Ball State University men’s basketball team, and now the Cardinals begin their road slate tonight in Philadelphia at a perennial NCAA Tournament team at Temple University.

Coach Billy Taylor said Monday that the Owls (2-1) present problems all around the court for the Cardinals (2-0).

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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Cards look to start Thanksgiving Break off on right foot

Tonight’s game against Valparaiso University (3-0) will be a battle for in-state bragging rights. Ball State (1-2) enters the contest coming off a hard-fought victory over Northern Arizona University (0-4) on Saturday.

The Crusaders could be one of the toughest challenges the Cardinals will see early this season. Valparaiso is off to its best start in program history with three straight wins, but hasn’t taken to the road yet.