It's been more than 10 seasons since the Ball State University men's basketball team could claim a 3-0 Mid-American Conference record.
Make it 11 seasons, to be exact.
With a win against Central Michigan University on Saturday, the Cardinals will be 3-0 in MAC play for the first time since the 1997-98 season. That same Ball State team began league play with a 6-0 record and finished 14-4 in the MAC en route to a shared Western Division title.
Saturday the Cardinals (7-7, 2-0 MAC) travel to Mount Pleasant, Mich., to play the Chippewas, hoping to accomplish just that.
Central Michigan (3-11, 0-2 MAC), picked to finish third in the MAC West in the preseason polls, is in the midst of a six-game losing streak. In their latest contest, the Chippewas lost 84-77 in double overtime to Eastern Michigan University - the same squad that three days earlier shot 28.6 percent from the field in a 46-42 home loss to Ball State.
The Chippewas are led by junior point guard Robbie Harman. Harman, who averages 11.4 points per game, is second in the MAC in both minutes played per game (34.57) and 3-pointers made per game (3.21). The 6-foot-1 Harman is also eighth in the MAC with a team-best 3.21 assists per game.
Senior forward Marcus Van leads the team with 13 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, while junior guard Jordan Blitzer averages 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game and shoots 92.9 percent from the free throw line.
Although Central Michigan is second in the MAC as a team in 3-pointers made per game (6.86), third in steals per game (8.14) and fifth in offensive rebounds per game (12.5), its defense allows a MAC-worst 72.9 points per game.
Saturday's game - which will be televised by the Ball State Sports Network (WIPB-TV) - tips off at 4:30 p.m.
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