A pair of mid-major intrastate rivals collide tonight at 7 when Butler travels north on I-69 to take on Ball State in Worthen Arena.
The Bulldogs (2-1) have taken all three matchups with the Cardinals since Tim Buckley took the helm at Ball State (1-0), including a 71-45 drubbing last year at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Buckley joked that his excuse for BSU's recent series slump is that Butler has rattled off three of its best seasons ever, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the 2003 tournament.
On a more serious note, however, "I don't think we've played well," Buckley said, "and that starts with me."
The Cardinals defense has been the chief culprit. Butler likes to play a patient, motion-based, drain-the-shot-clock offense, but in the past three meetings, the Bulldogs have scored 71, 75 and 71 points.
"It's unique," Buckley said. "You don't see a lot of teams play that way. They're going to play until they execute how they want to execute. We can't relax."
According to Buckley and senior forward Robert Owens, the Cards must keep their defensive focus for the whole 35 seconds on the shot clock and play more up-tempo when possible.
"They're good at lulling you to sleep," Owens, who scored a game-high 23 points in BSU's 75-63 season-opening win over Xavier, said.
Senior swingmen and top scorers Duane Lightfoot (11.0 points per game) and Mike Monserez (10.3) also lead Butler in rebounding (six apiece) and assists.
Besides slowing it down offensively, the Bulldogs also like to hoist three-pointers. Butler shot nine-of-19 from long range in last year's victory, and this season he has put 86 attempts, 29 of them good. Monserez and guard Bruce Horan have canned nine each.
Buckley said the Cardinals need to play strong perimeter defense without overhelping and leaving the paint vulnerable.
"You have to remember that shooting 33 percent on threes is the same as shooting 50 percent (on two-pointers)," he said. "We need to hold them to less than 30 percent."
Although Butler returned just one starter -- Monserez -- from last season and was nipped by Michigan on Sunday, 61-60 in overtime, the Cardinals expect a physical battle from their in-state rivals.
"It's a great rivalry," Buckley said. "It has the magnitude and intensity of a conference game."
Owens -- a Columbus, Ohio, native -- is the only BSU player who has played in the past three games against Butler. He said he has learned how hard-fought the series is, and he said the Cardinals need to continue the success they started in their opening game.
"It's a big rivalry," he said. "When I first got here, the guys said, 'You've got to be ready for this game. They'll be a lot of pushing, grabbing jerseys.'
"It's not really payback as it is getting our just dues. We want to get this one and start 2-0."
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