Needing wins to secure a first-round home game in the Mid-American Conference Tournament, Ball State hits the road for two games, the first one tonight at Marshall in Huntington, W. Va. The contest at the Cam Henderson Center begins at 7 p.m.
The last time Ball State (10-13, 7-7 MAC) traveled to Marshall, the team played without starting guard Patrick Jackson and fell 98-95 in double overtime. Last season three players scored at least 20 points, and the Cardinals trounced the Thundering Herd 96-75.
Although Ball State has lost its last three games at Marshall and rolls into Huntington with just two road wins, Buckley contends his team will show the pride he said it lacked in Saturday's 70-49 drubbing at the hands of Detroit.
Buckley said that lack of pride showed in that Titans shot 59 percent and outscored the Cards in the paint 36-4.
"Everybody knew it," he said. "I don't think it's anything that needs to be addressed."
The fourth-year coach, whose team has lost seven of its last nine, knows his team was aware of the pride issue by how it practiced Sunday.
"We had our best practice of the year," Buckley said. "I expect it to be that way."
Junior guard Matt McCollom has had two of his best games ever against the Herd. As a freshman he hit five of six 3-pointers and scored a season-high 21 points. Last season he was perfect in four long-range attempts in putting up 20 points. McCollom has been the team's leading scorer in conference play with 12.6 points per game and the top 3-point shooter (44.2 percent).
While the Thundering Herd (9-14, 6-8) may be concentrating on McCollom, the Cards would be wise to slow Marshall forward Marvin Black.
The 6-7 senior leads his team with averages of 13.0 points and 7.2 rebounds. In Marshall's wins, he has averaged 17 points, but in the losses that figure drops to 10.2. In the Herd's upset of West Division leader Western Michigan on Feb. 15, Black tallied a career-high 30 points.
"He can be a tough matchup," Buckley said.
While the Cards had little success stopping Detroit's post players, Buckley said that it is more a matter of team defense, including pressure on the ball and helping out, than it is his own post players. He feels his team will respond against Marshall.
"It's something we talk about all the time," he said.
Freshman point guard Peyton Stovall missed the last five minutes of Saturday's loss after limping off the court with what appeared to be a left thigh bruise. Buckley expects Stovall, who has started all but one game this season, to play against Marshall.
"He practiced Sunday," Buckley said. "He'll go play and fight through it."
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