My bad.
That's a phrase coach Kelly Packard doesn't want to hear from the Ball State University's women's basketball team for the rest of the season.
"We're so quick to say 'my bad, I messed that up,'" she said. "It's like, 'No, don't even say it. Show me that you are incorrect by correcting it.'"
Since Ball State's 91-68 loss at Illinois State University Nov. 25, Packard said, the 10-day break has given the team a chance to go through a "mini-training camp" to become more competitive before playing the University of Evansville.
Ball State is 2-2 and plays Evansville at 6 p.m. at Worthen Arena.
Evansville lost its last game 70-52 against Butler University on Wednesday. The Purple Aces are 4-2 and have an all-time record of 4-3 against the Cardinals.
Packard said her team lacks a competitive mentality, which was evident from the Illinois State game.
The team needs to give a consistent effort that makes the players proud that they competed hard after every game, she said.
Packard said she's pleased the players enjoy being together, but they might be too nice.
"There comes a time when you rise up and fight and you just take it really personally when you get beat on something," she said.
Guard Audrey McDonald said she has emphasized competition against teammates in practice. The coaching staff has players run through drills that pit players against each other so they become pushed by one another.
McDonald scored eight points and shot three-of-seven against Illinois State.
McDonald said the message of being a tough competitor factors into the Evansville game and later into the season against Mid-American Conference opponents.
"It's the time of the year where you have to find yourself quickly because the MAC is just around the corner," she said.
Packard said Evansville is coming together as a team with confidence and it is executing well on offense.
Trying to change the team's mind-set to become better competitors is her biggest challenge so far this season, she said.
"We just need to shift gears," she said. "We just need to shift from having a blast to hanging it out there in every aspect physically."
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