When Ball State released its first-ever nonconference schedule to include games at IU, Butler and Purdue, it was clear the team’s gauntlet of tough road games would lead to either marquee wins or deflating losses.
While the first two games against the Hoosiers and Bulldogs resulted in 48-point and 14-point losses, the latter is shaping up to be the Cardinals’ best chance to knock off a top in-state rival in years.
Going into Tuesday’s game, Ball State (5-4) is riding a three-game winning streak, while Purdue (4-6) has its worst record through 10 games under coach Matt Painter since he took over in 2004.
Many of the Boilermakers’ struggles seem to be linked to youth and a lack of experience, and coach Billy Taylor said he could empathize with Painter and his situation.
“Because they’re playing so many freshmen, they’re still figuring some things out in terms of their roles and how Coach Painter wants them to play,” Taylor said. “But they’re a very dangerous basketball team with their talent level, and the guys who can step up and make shots and plays for their team.”
Ball State has eight new faces, seven of those being freshmen. Some of those underclassmen, however, have been playing like seniors of late.
During the Cardinals’ three-game winning streak, freshman guard Marcus Posley has scored in double figures in every game.
His career-high 20 points and five assists in Ball State’s 80-73 win over South Dakota on Saturday led to College Sports Madness selecting him as its Mid-American Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week.
“When you come in and play your first game, people like to focus on not messing up, and that can break you,” Posley said. “Coach just tells me to play my game. Once I got that in my head, I just started to come out and feel more natural. When you come out and just play the way you’re capable, buckets come your way and the game flows more smoothly.”
While Posley may have been the catalyst for the team’s success the last couple of games, Ball State’s offense has also resembled the same kind of fluidity of its point guard.
Taylor said his team has started to cement its identity over the past several games, particularly against the Coyotes.
“We were able to move the basketball and were pretty efficient offensively,” Taylor said. “The tempo of the game wasn’t that fast, but I thought we did a nice job of sharing the basketball. I think our guys are getting a better understanding of what we’re trying to do on the offensive end of the floor.
“Being patient, being selective and working from the inside out.”
One thing Purdue does better than most is rebounding from all five positions. The Boilermakers have nearly a plus-twelve rebounding margin on the glass, and Taylor and the team made it no secret boxing out is a focal point.
“One of the best rebounding teams I’ve seen in a long time,” Taylor said. “They are extremely tenacious going after the basketball. We know we’ve got to be able to control our defensive backboards.
“They get these extra possessions, they draw fouls and they really make themselves a presence in the painted area on the glass. This will be our stiffest challenge to date [in that aspect].”
Purdue poses arguably its biggest challenge on the glass, but despite the team’s recent struggles, Posley said winning in Mackey Arena is still an enormous challenge.
“They may be weaker than other teams in the past, but they’re still Purdue,” he said. “They all got recruited for the same reasons we got recruited. We just have to come out and outwork them to show we’re the better team.”
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