As it stands, Toledo is ahead of Ball State in the Mid-American Conference standings. On Saturday, Ball State will try to overtake the lead in the MAC West standings as the Cardinals face off with the Rockets at 7 p.m. in Toledo, Ohio.
Toledo has a perfect record in conference play, having defeated both Western and Eastern Michigan.
Ball State will step into the matchup having just defeated Central Michigan Wednesday.
Head coach Tim Buckley thinks his team can utilize the togetherness his team displayed Wednesday to its advantage come Saturday.
"We had great passion, enthusiasm and togetherness, which really helped us ride out a tough stretch at the beginning of the game," Buckley said in reference to the Central Michigan game.
Buckley said he hopes his team will use some of that passion and enthusiasm to perform well on the defensive end of the court.
"Our guys have really bought into the fact that if we want to be a good basketball team then we have to play on the defensive end," Buckley said.
With the game having so much weight in the early season standings, Ball State seniors Billy Lynch and Petie Jackson both put a lot of emphasis in a win Saturday.
"It is a huge game because it's the next game," Lynch said. "Every game in this conference is important. Once it gets into conference play anything can happen."
"It's a big game for us," Jackson said. "Toledo is a tough place to play. They always have some crazy fans and they always play well at home. We really want to go in there and get it all clicking again and keep the streak going."
The Cardinal winning streak currently stands at two after downing both Eastern and Central Michigan. Ball State's schedule may allow Ball State to tally up a rather lengthy winning streak if the Cardinals win Saturday.
"We are going to have to play good quality basketball over there to be successful," Buckley said. "Toledo is really starting to hit its stride. They are finding out who they are and that makes them a difficult team to play right now."
Toledo's coach, Stan Joplin, shared mutual feelings in regard to Ball State when it comes to Saturday's contest.
"I'm expecting a tough game," Joplin said. "Ball State is very talented. It might have the best player in the conference in Theron Smith, and Petie Jackson is playing extremely well also."
Smith ranks No. 10 in the country in rebounding, averaging about 11 a game, with a season-high 21 rebounds against Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, the third best single-game effort in the country this season.
"(Smith) has basically taken it upon himself to go in there and get them all," Jackson said. "He is just the man on the boards."
"We all joke around and call him a beast in the locker room," Lynch said. "But he really is a beast. Sometimes he has all the rebounds. When you have one guy cleaning up the glass like that, it makes it a lot easier for the fast break."
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