There are some things in life that are unexplainable. On Monday, it was over 55 degrees outside. On Tuesday, however, it was in the twenties.
Simply put, some things just don't make sense.
Sure, there is a meteorological explanation for the weather change, but to most of us common folk who simply feel our skin shivering and fingers tingling, we wonder why?
It is this same sense of wonderment and displeasure that I find myself struggling with when analyzing the men's basketball team.
Last week, the Ball State defeated Marshall 96-75. At the time, Marshall was the second place team in the Mid-American Conference East Division.
From the opening tip, there was an immense amount of intensity coming from the Cardinals. Whether on the floor playing, or on the bench yelling, each Ball State player was focused on one thing - winning.
Then, as quickly as the temperature dropped in Muncie Monday night, Ball State switched roles.
The Cardinals traveled to Northern Illinois and, quite frankly, got spanked.
Traditionally, Ball State has had success winning at Northern Illinois. The team has won each time in its past five trips to Dekalb, Ill.
That was not the case Saturday. Ball State was beat from the opening tip and seemed to focus on only one thing, the final buzzer. By the game's end, Northern Illinois had mounted leads as big as 25 points and won 78-60.
So let's get this straight - the team goes from defeating Marshall, to playing about as strongly as the YMCA kids that Worthen Arena often hosts at halftime.
Yeah, that's harsh. But to be honest, Saturday's whooping was harsh too. In fact, it was embarrassing.
How embarrassing you ask?
It was so bad that coach Tim Buckley turned to the only thing he could, Andrew Forsman.
Forsman, a transfer from North Iowa Area Community College had only played three minutes prior to Saturday's contest. By the end of the game against Northern Illinois, Forsman clocked in with eleven minutes adding two points from the free throw line.
Forsman is a good guy, but I question his ability to play Division I basketball, and obviously Buckley has questioned it so far this season as well. He had only played three minutes, now a total of 14 minutes out of 640 minutes this season.
So why did he play Saturday? Simple, he's the only one who wanted to.
It's a sad day for Ball State basketball when the only answer comes from the guy at the end of the bench who usually chats it up with Theron Smith and Rob Robbins, both wearing street clothes and sitting out due to knee injuries.
So I'm left wondering, much like I do about the inexplainable weather, is there an answer?
Yes, and the team already knows it.
Basketball is a team sport. However, on far too many occasions this season, it has been one player trying to do it all for Ball State.
Need proof?
Ball State is dead last in the MAC in assists. Ball State is the only team in the MAC that averages less than 10 assists a game, with 184 on the season. The next closest team is Miami with 202.
I realize that assists are not the only thing when it comes to teamwork; it takes contributions on every level from everyone.
So forget assists. Against Marshall, the team's best performance of the season, there were four players scoring in double digits, three of which scored 20 or more. There were also two guys with double digits in rebounding and Ball State committed only 10 turnovers.
Against Northern, there were two guys with double figures in scoring and they each had only 17 points. There were no players with double figures in rebounding and Ball State committed 19 turnovers, the only thing they did a lot of as a team.
Some people say you can't tell everything about sports just by looking at the numbers. I agree.
However, without even looking at the numbers, I can say that on several occasions, all of which have resulted in a loss, Ball State hasn't played with a passion to win. I can look in their eyes. I can sit on the sidelines and hear what they are saying. They are passionless.
Tuesday afternoon, after Saturday's setback at Northern, Buckley said, "I'm not big on what the building is like that you compete in, either you compete or you don't."
Competitiveness. Enthusiasm. Intensity. Passion. Focus. Fervor. Desire.
Call it what you want, just go find it.
More importantly, when you do find it, keep it and use it.
Write to Greg at
gmfallon@bsu.edu
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