After getting back on the winning track with Wednesday's 83-48thumping of Anderson, the men's basketball team looks to cure itsroad ills when it travels to Indiana State Saturday. Ball State(3-1) is looking to win for the sixth straight time over the 2-3Sycamores.
To avoid a fate similar to last week, when the Cardinals blew anearly 15-point lead at Wright State and shot just 13 percent in thesecond half, coach Tim Buckley says his team needs to keep itsintensity high on the defensive end and be in the right spot.
"The defense has to be consistent," he said. "When we play thatway defensively, we play better offensively."
Against Anderson the Cards had numerous defensive breakdowns,but Buckley liked how his team bounced back and defended down thestretch.
"We competed from the opening tip to the final buzzer," he said."I thought we showed the same intensity and character that weshowed against Xavier and Butler."
Ball State unveiled a full court press a few times against theRavens, and it helped produce 25 turnovers. Buckley felt thatdefense surprised the Ravens and hinted the Cards might continuesome selective use of the press.
"It has to do with our opponent," he said. "We took advantage ofour quickness and athleticism (against Anderson)."
Senior forward Robert Owens, who scored nine first-half pointsoff the bench Wednesday, says talking and helping out are the keysto BSU playing better defense.
"We just have to communicate, offensively and especiallydefensively," he said. "We tried to get glued to our man too much.We have to remember it's a team defensive effort."
After much work in the offseason on his outside shot, Owens hasburied 58 percent (7 of 12) of his 3-pointers and 64 percent of hisshots from the field. The 6-7 senior is second on the team with11.8 points per game.
Junior guard Dennis Trammell leads the way with 13.3 points.Starting forwards Terrance Chapman and Cameron Echols both talliedseason-best scoring efforts Wednesday, putting up 13 and 12,respectively. Both are averaging seven rebounds to pace theCards.
Indiana State has sophomore swingman David Moss (15.8 points)and senior guard Marcus Howard (10.2) averaging in double figures.The Sycamores, who dropped a 59-53 decision at Valparaiso Monday,score 61 points per game and yield 66.4.
"They're like us in that they're trying to find their roles,"Buckley said of ISU.
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