Wednesday's game at Worthen Arena is "Retro Night," with Ball State wearing the style of uniforms the team wore in the early 1970s.
However, the Cardinals would prefer that their level of play against Eastern Michigan resembles that of last week.
With wins at Marshall and Bowling Green last week, BSU (12-13 overall, 9-7 Mid-American Conference) secured a first-round home game in the conference tournament. Now, the Cardinals return home, but they have lost their last three games in Worthen Arena.
Coach Tim Buckley feels that if the Cards can shoot like the past two contests, the Worthen Arena crowd will bear smiles and not frowns when it leaves tonight.
"We've played good teams at home," he said, referring to losses at the hands of Western Michigan, Miami and Detroit, all teams with winning records. "We shot the ball well on the road, and we haven't here."
The Cards shot 45.3 percent at Marshall and 43.3 at BG, the former being their best effort since a season-best 55.9 mark against Central Michigan on Jan. 14.
In addition to shooting well, Ball State will definitely be focused on rebounding, as the Eagles (12-13, 6-10) feature the second- and third-best board men in the MAC -- 6-8 junior John Bowler (8.2 rebounds per game) and 6-9 senior James Jackson (8.0).
"We always have to to do better as far as rebounding," Buckley said.
Bowler is also the team's top scorer, averaging 13.6 points per game. Markus Austin is right behind at 13.4, Jackson adds 10.9 and JaQuan Hart comes off the bench with 10.1.
"They're a very good inside team, whether off the dribble or in the post," Buckley said. "Bowler's a big force. Austin and Jackson are guys who can really score the ball. They're very athletic, and they bring quality depth."
In addition to "Retro Night," the game will also be Senior Night. Forwards Robert Owens and Cameron Echols still have one more home game left -- the first-round game on Monday -- but Owens said that still won't make tonight any easier.
"Whenever it comes, it would be hard to deal with," said Owens, who ranks fourth in the BSU annals with 120 games played. "It makes you think about all your time here.
"But I am happy we get one more," he added.
Echols (11.2 points per game) and Owens (10.8) are second and third in scoring for BSU this season. Dennis Trammell leads the way at 12.7. Echols also paces the Cards in rebounding with 6.3 per game.
With so many appearances on Worthen Arena court, Owens says it's hard to think of just one favorite memory.
"There's so many of them," he said. "Not just playing at home, but everything."
With a first-round home game secured but a bye to the quarterfinals out of reach, Buckley says his players have to be motivated to push for as high a seed as possible. Following Eastern, the Cards travel to league cellar-dweller Central Michigan (5-21, 1-14) on Saturday.
"Motivation from someone else is short-lived; it has to come from within," Buckley said. "We have to keep improving."
"We have to be motivated," added Trammell. "We've got to see this for ourselves."
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