Central Michigan may have lost its first three Mid-American Conference games and may not have NBA center Chris Kaman anymore. But Ball State knows it cannot look past the Chippewas when they come to Muncie tonight for a 7 p.m. contest.
"We don't want to overlook them," said senior Robert Owens, emphasizing the importance of each MAC game. "We have to take it game-by-game."
"They're very well-coached," coach Tim Buckley said of the defending MAC champions. "Their record is not indicative of how they've played. We'll have to play as well as we have to be successful."
Central (3-10 overall) is last in the conference in scoring defense (78.8 points) and rebounding margin (-7.2). However, it did travel to Notre Dame early in the season and upset the Irish 69-68.
The Cardinals (5-6 overall, 2-1 MAC) enter from the opposite end as CMU, having won their last two MAC tilts at home over Bowling Green (76-63) and Toledo (95-71). One reason for the success is a better rebounding performance by the Cards, who outboarded Toledo 40-27. Although the Cards only rank ahead of the Chippewas in that department, the difference is just -1.9.
"We're showing improvement because the perimeter guys are doing better," Buckley said of his team's rebounding effort. "That has to continue."
Even though Owens scored a team-high 19, he didn't grab one rebound against Toledo, and the 6-foot-7 forward knows that can't continue.
"That's an aberration," he said, almost in disbelief of that figure. "It'll never happen again."
Kaman is gone after ripping the Cards for 82 points and 34 rebounds in two wins last year, and Buckley said they also lost some good seniors who were "lost in the shuffle." But 6-foot-8 senior Gerrit Brigitha still provides an inside presence, pacing the Chippewas with 16.4 points and 7.2 rebounds. In his last four games he is averaging 27 points.
"He's comfortable in his position now," Buckley said of Brigitha's breakout season. "He's getting the ball in deep. He's good at presenting himself (to receive passes). We've got to beat him down the floor."
Sophomore guard Kevin Nelson backs Brigitha with 11.7 points per game.
Ball State counters with a balanced group that has placed five players in double figures in both recent wins. Junior guard Dennis Trammell is averaging 13.7 points and hitting 40.5 percent of his 3-pointers, while Owens checks in with respective figures of 12.4 and 48.5. Leading rebounder Cameron Echols (7.0) adds 9.9 points.
The Cardinals may be playing without center Tom Howland off the bench. Howland, who is averaging 3.3 points and 2.0 rebounds, suffered what was determined to be a dislocated kneecap late in the first half against Toledo.
Ball State is prepared to play the game without the 6-10 sophomore.
"We're not a very big team losing Tom, so we'll have to work harder," Owens said. "Our guards will have to rebound.
"They're kind of like us," he said of Central. "They're a smaller team, and their center is about Cam's height."
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