With four games remaining in the Mid-American Conference season for the men's basketball team, Ball State takes a break from conference play to participate in an ESPN Bracket Buster game on Saturday.
For the fourth-straight season, Ball State will be one of 100 schools across the country competing in the annual event.
Coming off its first road conference win of the season, Ball State returns home to try to pick up its first ever Bracket Buster victory.
Ball State (9-13 overall, 5-9 MAC West) drew Nashville-based Tennessee State, a team that has won only two games on the road this season.
Coach Tim Buckley said the Cards will be playing a team with a similar style on Saturday.
"They are a very athletic team and like to play physical," Buckley said. "They've had some good wins this season and played a real tough game against Ohio State early on."
Tennessee State has won its last two games including an 80-58 victory against Austin Peay. Ball State, who barely escaped with a three-point victory at Central Michigan on Wednesday, will rely on its freshmen to provide some of the same production against Tennessee State that it got out of them at Central Michigan.
Freshman Jalon Perryman exploded for a career-high 18 points on Wednesday, after shooting 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Buckley said Perryman's shot continues to get better after each practice.
"He's really been working above and beyond what we've been asking of him to do," Buckley said. "He's always shooting after each practice and I think that tells you something about the player he wants to be."
Junior Skip Mills sat out for nearly the final three minutes against Central Michigan because of foul trouble. Without their top-scorer during the most important stretch of the game, Buckley relied on his freshmen to carry the load.
Buckley commended freshman Maurice Acker for leading the team in the final minutes.-á
"Maurice really lifted us up at the end by getting to the free-throw line and playing really tight defense," Buckley said. "Anytime our freshmen come through in those key situations then obviously you feel more confidence in them."
Although Acker scored only eight points on the night, he finished the contest with three steals and seven assists.
Freshman Anthony Newell also played a big part in the final moments of the game. Newell grabbed a an important rebound with 21 seconds remaining in the game, that gave Ball State the ball and the chance to increase its lead in the final seconds.
Newell finished the game with four rebounds.
Buckley also expects the same kind of play from junior Charles Bass on Saturday. Bass, who played for the first time in three games against Central Michigan, grabbed seven rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench.
Bass has fallen behind senior Tom Howland and freshman Pat Nelson in the center rotation for the Cardinals but Buckley wants Bass to be ready for each game.
"That's what we expect from Charles on a nightly basis," Buckley said. "I believe he'll continue to do that for us in the future."
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