Looking to break a three-game losing skid, Ball State welcomes an Akron team that will be playing its third game in five days for a 7 p.m. contest tonight in Worthen Arena, where BSU is 9-1 against Akron.
The Zips (4-6 Mid-American Conference, 10-8 overall) lost to arch-rival Kent State 77-66 on Saturday before downing Marshall 85-69 on Monday. Akron put up 105 points in a one-point overtime win over the Cardinals last season and boasts the league's top scorer in guard Derrick Tarver (22.7 points), but Cardinals coach Tim Buckley emphasized that this year's team is far different.
"We're far better defensively than a year ago," he said. "I think we match up well but only if we defend the way we're capable of."
Backing Tarver for the Zips is freshman forward Jeremiah Wood (11.1 points, 7.6 rebounds), the league's top shooter at 60.2 percent. Four other players average at least six points per game. The Zips are the league's top shooting team at 47 percent.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals (5-4 MAC, tied for third in West, 8-9 overall) were left reeling by their second-half collapse against Buffalo. The Bulls scorched the nets for eight 3-pointers and 52 points after halftime in an 84-75 win in Worthen.
However, Buckley sees that collapse as an aberration and said he believes his team is ready to get back to the form that it had in winning five MAC games in a row.
"It's a one-game situation," he said. "We'd played well in eight straight games, and I don't want to take anything from Buffalo. We just need to get back to playing with intensity."
Better rebounding is also Buckley's desire. His team is averaging a margin of -1.6, second-to-last in the MAC. Having 6-10 reserve center Tom Howland back after missing five games should help, but Buckley doesn't want to increase Howland's minutes too much too soon.
"We have to watch that," the fourth-year coach said. "He had a little soreness (after Sunday's game), but that's to be expected. He's done his rehab since then, and he's ready to go."
Howland played 11 minutes against Buffalo, recording four points, four rebounds and two blocks.
"It's a little sore and tight, but I feel pretty good," the sophomore said. "It wasn't anything I didn't expect. I think I played alright, but I could've gone to the boards a little better. It felt great to get back out there. I was tired of sitting on the bench."
"I really admired how he battled," Buckley said of Howland. "He was definitely the most productive in terms of getting things done while he was in."
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