Last year when the women's basketball team faced Illinois State, Katie Donovan, then a junior, put up 31 of the Redbird's 64 points.
This season Ball State faces them after seeing its defense struggle in the past two games, sending the team to 2-2.
Ball State still won the matchup last season 87-64 and this season will look to go 4-0 all-time against the Redbirds on Wednesday night.
Defense will be a key for the Cardinals not only against Donovan, but the whole team.
Against Murray State on Sunday the Cardinals allowed two players to score more then 20 points and eventually lost the matchup 87-76.
"I just think it was an un-standard defensive game for our team in general," head coach Tracy Roller said. "After reviewing film we didn't follow the defensive game plan at all.
"I'm not going to panic about it because I know we are a lot better fundamentally on defense then we showed against Murray State."
Now the team looks to stay above the .500 mark against a team that is yet to win a game at 0-3. Illinois State has played two games against top 25 teams though and head coach Robin Pingeton said the team is ready to get a win.
"Obviously we're just hungry to get out there again," Pingeton said. "It's not going to be an easy challenge."
While Donovan, who is averaging 19 points per game this season, almost scored half of her team's points last season, Pingeton said her team is different this year and has a lot of weapons.
"Guarding their perimeter is going to be really important for us," Roller said. "They're going to be excited about this game, they know it's a good one for them."
Ball State also has a lot of weapons, with two players averaging double figures and five others averaging at least seven points. Senior Kate Endress leads the team with an average of 15 points per game, but the last few games has seen her minutes hampered because of foul trouble.
Team's often focus their game plans around stopping Endress, but Roller said the past few games Endress has gotten in trouble because of her own mental mistakes.
"I think Kate's going to have this all year," Roller said. "They know she's our go-to-player, she's our senior.
"Their game plan is going to be to take Kate out of the game."
This matchup is one of four that will come on the road for the Cardinals before they return home on Dec. 20 to play Duke.
"I think really the next four games for us are important to our program," Roller said. "There's a lot at steak for both teams of all four games."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
