After facing the Mid-American Conference's west division leader, the women's basketball team will travel to Marshall to face the east division leader.
Ball State (11-11, 7-4) lost to Bowling Green this past week 69-49, sending them a game and a half back of the division lead. Marshall (14-7. 8-2) on the other hand holds a game and a half lead in the east division over Kent State.
"We have a tall test ahead of us, its going to be a big challenge and that's what the MAC has become for everyone this year," head coach Tracy Roller said.
Marshall is currently on a nine-game winning streak, its largest since the 1973-1974 season, and is 7-2 at home this season. Sophomore Tina Bolte said this game will be a good way for the Cardinals to get back in the right direction.
"They definitely have some momentum but we've had a couple tough losses and we haven't been playing our best," Bolte said. "We're ready for a challenge like this."
Roller said her team has to be ready for a very athletic team. She said Marshall has many kinds of presses that the Cardinals will have to be able to handle if they want to win.
"When we have chances to score, we got to take advantage of it," Roller said.
The two teams are tied for second in the MAC in rebounding. Each average 40.7 per game and Roller said getting the edge in that statistic will be key.
"They're so athlete that even if you have a box out they can get one over you just because they're athletic," Roller said.
Marshall has the best offense in the MAC, averaging 71.6 points per game, while Ball State has a defense which ranks 11th and gives up 69.3 points per game.
"It's going to be a tough matchup defensively because they are so athletic," Bolte said. "It will be interesting to see how we step up to that."
Marshall is led by Sikeetha Shepard-Hall who averages 15.3 points per game. In the team's last game against Ohio she scored a career high 30 points. Sophomore Kelsey Corbin will start the game guarding her.
"She's just playing so well in the conference right now," Roller said. "She can light you up for 30 and she can do it in many ways."
After playing four games in 10 days, Ball State will have four days off between games, which Bolte said allows the team better time to prepare.
"We were definitely going down a little bit," Bolte said. "It will be good for us to get some practices in and get back in our rhythm."
So far this MAC season the Cardinals have been able to bounce back and get a win after suffering a loss. While Roller said that has been in part due to the teams scheduling, she said her team will fight until the end.
"They know its going to be a fight until the end," Roller said. "They know that we've had a great run and we want to keep it up by not losing consecutive games."
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