A series of mental ups and downs has been the story for the women's basketball team as of late.
First came an up; when the Cardinals (4-2) defeated IPFW by 44 points, which led into a down, with the team losing to No. 1 Connecticut by 34 points.
Then the team beat the Illinois State Redbirds by 17 points Tuesday, another up.
"The UConn game was a moral victory for us," head coach Tracy Roller said. "The score didn't indicate the kind of game we had. But we had a little let-down against Illinois State, but we picked it up in the second half and beat a pretty good Illinois State team."
But this weekend, the Cardinals play host for the Hoosier State Classic when they face the Butler Bulldogs Saturday. And while the Bulldogs (1-6) look to be an underdog on paper, Roller said the in-state rival cannot be over-looked.
"They are very much a team that is better than their record," Roller said. "(Butler) is coming off a big win (a 78-73 win over Bowling Green in overtime), and I'm sure they are looking at this as a big game for them."
But with all the "ups and downs," which one will the Cardinals experience against the young Bulldogs squad?
"At 1-6, a lot of teams would overlook them," junior Tamara Bowie said. "But we're not. We know that Butler is capable of coming in and beating us at any moment."
But while the Cardinals are looking for a pick-up, they will not be at full force. Junior Amy Zercher, who had started every game in her two-year career at Ball State, is out with an MCL sprain she suffered in practice on Nov. 21. No surgery is required, and she is expected to be playing in time for the Cardinals tournament in Florida over Christmas break.
Another loss is junior Laurie Kitts who left the team to pursue academic endeavors. Kitts set Ball State records for three-pointers made and attempts two years ago in her freshman season.
According to Roller, the key for the Cards is going to be defensive intensity, an area the team had trouble in last year. But the first-year coach said the team is "definitely better," at the defensive end.
"We're just constantly trying to get better," Roller said. "The problem is the defensive set we're trying to use takes about a year to get used to. We're just throwing so many things at our opponents trying to keep them on their toes a little bit."
The Cardinals defense will have to be on its toes defending Butler's best player, sophomore Sarah Bolten, who scored 37 points against Bowling Green.
But when it gets down to it, Roller said the game comes down to the in-state rivalry between the two schools.
"This is a big game for them, and it's about bragging rights for the state," Roller said. "There certainly is no love lost between us."
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