The Ball State University women's basketball team looks to knock off the 2008 Mid-American Conference champions Saturday at Worthen Arena when Cardinal fans "Pack the House."
Miami University (11-8, 3-3 MAC) is coming off a championship season last year when they beat Ohio University 67-56 in the conference championship game. Miami went on to lose in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to the University of Louisville.
Ball State coach Kelly Packard said with winning championships comes respect.
"When you are playing the reigning MAC tournament champions, there's a lot of respect," Packard said. "And with a lot of respect, we are certainly going to show up ready to have the energy and intensity."
Packard said the RedHawks "do a lot of things very, very well," play physically and are a very solid team.
The Cardinals (13-7, 5-1 MAC) have won six of their last seven games. In order to add another win to their record, Ball State will have to slow down Miami's senior guard Jenna Schone.
Schone averages 15.7 points per game, fifth best in the MAC. She also leads the team in assists, steals and minutes played.
After watching film on Schone for most of Thursday, Packard said it's going to be key to frustrate Schone's decision-making process with pressure.
"[Schone] has the complete package," Packard said. "She does so many things well, and with experience comes the maturity to make good decisions with the ball in her hand. We are going to have our hands full."
The Cardinals hope the stands are full for Saturday's game against the RedHawks in another contest being played in the "Pack the House" Challenge. The challenge is an effort to increase attendance for women's basketball games. The RedHawks were the 2008 "Pack the House" Challenge winners in the MAC.
Packard said the Cardinals "are a very fun team to watch" and students and fans alike should come enjoy the tempo of basketball they play.
"I think it's a great brand of women's basketball," Packard said. "It doesn't keep you in your seat very long because these young ladies create an offensive style that's a lot of fun. I think any time you create an environment that's tough for an opponent, that's college athletics, that's the fun part of being able to create something inside your building that makes it really, really tough."
The Cardinals have the home-court advantage, which has been crucial in this series the past five seasons where the home team has won every game.
Senior guard Porchia Green has had the advantage against Miami. As a junior, Green posted a double-double in a losing effort. As a sophomore, she scored 16 points in a win.
Packard said she is fairly certain Green remembers how well she has played against Miami.
"I'm sure [Green] remembers the numbers that she posted," Packard said. "However, Porchia has been around this game. She understands that Saturday night is a new game, and there is no credit advance for her on Saturday night.
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