Ball State University's men's basketball team will look to turn around a four-game losing streak as they return home to play intrastate rival Indiana State University. The Cardinals, who finally had a breather after playing five games in eight days, have dropped their last four straight games, including three road matches.
The Sycamores (4-2) might be ripe for the picking, as Indiana State has never won the annual match-up between the two schools in Worthen Arena history. The university's last win in Muncie was in 1986 at Irving Gymnasium.
The Cardinals (2-4) are shooting a dismal 38.3 percent from the field this season and only 35 teams have a worse field-goal percentage. Ball State's three-point shooting percentage is even worse, at 22.3 percent, only the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Alcorn State University and Niagara University make a lower percentage of shots from beyond the arch.
"We are just not making shots," coach Ronny Thompson said. "I feel our decision-making on shots needs to improve and we need to put more emphasis on driving the ball and getting to the foul line. I think we are a good shooting team and I feel we will be fine."
The Cardinals have won six of the last eight meetings between the two schools. Indiana State's two wins have been by a single point, while the Cardinals' average margin of victory in the last eight years has been 9.3 points. Should the Cardinals lose, it would mark the worst start to a Ball State season since 1977.
The Sycamores have not had a consistent starting lineup, and have five players averaging over ten points before last night's game against Middle Tennessee State University, though only three have seen playing time in every Sycamore contest this year.
"They are a scrappy team," Thompson said. "They play with a little bit of an edge like they have something to prove. They run motion with a lot of screens, and a lot of activity. It is going to be a tough game."
Seniors Skip Mills and Chris Ames will return to the Worthen Arena court for the first time since the season opener. Ames was expected to miss four to eight weeks with a broken jaw, but returned after only a week to play against the University of Kansas on Nov. 24.
"He is not one of those people who will use his injury as a crutch," Thompson said. "Chris is the soul of our team and sets the tone for how we play. For example, yesterday at practice, Chris comes into the gym after getting taped, clapping his hands and screaming through the wires in his mouth. That lifted everybody up and got everyone going for practice."
Despite his upbeat presence, Ames' condition has caused some concern among the staff, and, though he's physically ready to play, there are some questions about his health.
"There have not been that many broken jaw instances in basketball," Thompson said. "We found out we could get a mask that would help with the protection of his jaw. The thing we are battling with Chris now is his nutrition. He has to blend his food everywhere he goes. The important thing for him is to keep his weight and energy up, but Chris is a soldier."
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