It's safe to say the Ball State men's basketball team will face some huge obstacles when the team takes on Akron today.
Ball State hasn't beaten Akron on the road since Tim Buckley was coaching back in 2001.
Akron's last loss in the series was back in 2004 at Ball State.
The last couple of years, Ball State ran into Akron's qualifying teams for the National Invitation Tournament and NCAA Tournament.
But this season is different. It may be the Cardinals best chance to change recent history.
Ball State is leading the Mid-American Conference West Division at 6-4, while Akron is having a down year by its standards. They sit in fifth place in the MAC East Division and have lost 10 games
No matter the circumstances, Ball State coach Billy Taylor acknowledges Akron's building isn't easy to play in.
"They're 9-2 at home and I think getting overlooked a little bit right now," Taylor said. "They're definitely a very dangerous team with a number of guys that are still part of that championship squad. So they've got some guys that understand what it takes to win and have won at a very high level."
To start the conference season, Ball State was playing at a high level. The Cardinals were 5-0 in the MAC and had a commanding lead over both divisions.
Since that point, inconsistent play cooled off the Cardinals. Their most recent loss to Bowling Green Wednesday put them behind four teams in the race for the best record in the MAC.
Saturday's game against Akron could be considered a must-win game by some, but Taylor said it isn't to that point yet.
"This is our last opportunity to play an opponent from the MAC East Division," Taylor said. "We just want to come out and play good solid basketball and put ourselves in a position to win. In terms of the overall MAC race, we try not to get too caught up in that."
Like it or not, Ball State is caught in the thick of the race for a number one seed in the MAC tournament. A win against Akron may change more than just all-time records. It could change the Cardinals path into their own NCAA Tournament berth.
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