When it comes to the women's basketball team's second-half lapses that have caused three straight losses, head coach Tracy Roller said it's a mental problem that can be fixed in practice.
"It's a mental breakdown that you have to give them reps in practice to fix," Roller said. "We're trying to fix it by taking care of possessions."
Roller said instances like the one on Wednesday, when Ball State let Illinois State score three consecutive three-pointers, is exactly what the Cardinals can't have.
This weekend, the team will travel to Terra Haute for a matchup against Indiana State in the annual Hoosier State Classic, which also features a Butler-Valparaiso matchup.
Indiana State has four players who average double figures, with Ashley Clark leading the team (16.3 per game). One of those four, Erin Hendrickson, has played only one game this season, scoring 12. Clark also leads the Sycamores in rebounding, pulling down 8.3 per game.
The Sycamores have only hit 11 three-pointers all season, the same number Illinois State and Murray State each had against the Cardinals in their two previous games. Guarding the three has been one of Ball State's biggest weaknesses, allowing 32 over the course of its three losses.
Roller said the Sycamores appear to be a team that doesn't rely on the three-pointer, however the team needs to be really for anything.
"We're guarding everybody for having a break out three night," Roller said. "We've got to be ready for anything."
Recently Ball State has had very little success against the Sycamores, winning only one of the last six contests. That lone win came in the 2003 WNIT, a 91-87 overtime victory in Terre Haute.
The 2-1 Sycamores only loss this season came in their first game against fellow Mid-American Conference school Miami, 62-59. Since then, the team has beat Eastern Illinois and most recently Cincinnati, who Ball State lost to a week ago.
Roller said besides defending the perimeter and rebounding, withstanding the Sycamores opening run will be key.
"Weathering the storm of what I think will be a big push from the beginning is big," Roller said. "They're going to come out and really try to knock us on our heels."
Senior Kate Endress and sophomore Kelsey Corbin are the only Cardinals who average double figures with 16.2 and 10.8 points per game, respectively.
Ball State gets its rebounding from several different people. Junior Raechelle Hampton leads the team, averaging six per game, but freshman Julie DeMuth adds 5.8, sophomore Becca Bajorek 5.4 and Endress 5.6. So far this season, the Cardinals have out-rebounded their opponents by an average of 37.8 compared to 34.8.
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
