After an exciting win against Central Michigan University on Sunday, the Ball State University women's basketball team stayed in Michigan to take on Eastern Michigan University at 7 p.m. tonight in the Convocation Center.
Ball State head coach Kelly Packard said the single day between games isn't something they've had to experience much.
"Typically, we'll go for a Wednesday game and come home after, and then we won't play after that until Saturday, so this is a really unique thing," Packard said. "This is an interesting scenario where we play on a Sunday, have Monday to practice somewhere else and play Tuesday. I think they've done a great job. I think having a bye week last week helped us."
The Cardinals (18-8, 10-2 Mid-American Conference) practiced away from Worthen Arena, and Packard told the team that anything worth striving toward and working for comes at a cost.
"I told them today before practice, 'Look, it's just us and you today. Nobody is here to watch us. Will you just exist and go through practice or will you actually get better?' and there is a difference," Packard said. "I think that's been something that they've taken with a lot of sincerity, and I think that's why we've been on that stretch we've been on."
That stretch goes back to the last time the Cardinals faced the Eastern Michigan Eagles (7-17, 3-9 MAC) on Jan. 7. Beginning with the 62-55 win against the Eagles earlier this season, the Cardinals have gone 11-2.
The Eagles have won their last three games - all coming in MAC play - beating the University of Buffalo, Miami University and Northern Illinois University.
Packard said Eastern Michigan would come in to the game with a lot more confidence.
"I would think, first and foremost, that we're going to meet a team that is much more confident than the team that we faced in early January," Packard said. "I think the second thing that maybe hurt them at our place was our tempo of finding our shooters in a transition offense system. I expect them to zone us. I'd be surprised if they don't."
One player for Eastern Michigan that has a lot of confidence against Ball State is sophomore guard Sydney Huntley-Rogers. In their earlier match-up, Huntley-Rogers shot 6-for-11 from behind the arc and scored a career-best 33 points.
In that game, four Cardinals scored in double figures, led by forward Danielle Gratton with 17. She also grabbed 10 rebounds. Other double-digit scorers included forward Emily Maggert and guard Porchia Green, who both scored 10 points. Freshmen forward Jade Barber scored a career-high 12 points.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
