If there was one team in the Mid-American Conference the men's basketball team would want to play for a chance to host a first round game of the MAC tournament, it might be Toledo.
Toledo, a team the Cardinals have defeated three straight times, sits at the bottom of the MAC West Division with the second worst record in the MAC (5-11) teams.
However, even with what appears to be a solid matchup for Ball State in its constant quest to capture a first round home game, the Cardinals may be handicapped Wednesday in Toledo.
Sophomore point guard Matt McCollom found himself on the bench in the Cardinals' last contest, at Western Michigan, by the 12-minute mark with a sprained toe.
According to Chris Taylor in the athletics communication office, as of Tuesday afternoon, McCollom was listed as day-to-day but also listed as a probable starter for Wednesday's game against Toledo.
On Monday, Ball State coach Tim Buckley said McCollom would not practice Monday or Tuesday but probably would play on Wednesday.
"I do know this. Tony Cox (Ball State's athletics trainer) and Matt have will have had three days to get ready," Buckley said Monday. "He'll be ready if he's able to be ready."
Buckley explained that with McCollom's injury, what is commonly referred to as "turf toe," limiting minutes doesn't usually do the player any good. The only way to help the injury is to allow it time to heal. Buckley was also quick to point out that McCollom is the type of player who would not want to sit out to recuperate his toe.
If the first meeting between the two teams is any indication, Ball State will want McCollom on the floor.
When Ball State faced Toledo at home on Jan. 18, it was McCollom who led the Cardinals. The sophomore guard knocked in 29 points, a career high.
One reason for McCollom's high output against the Rockets was the emphasis on perimeter play. Toledo is one of the few teams this season that Ball State has faced that really has no big offensive threat in the post. The Rockets are led by guards Keith Triplett, who averages 16 points a game, and Nick Moore, who adds 15 a game. In fact, on Toledo's probable starter list, there are four guards and one forward listed.
"I think they have more experience in the post than we do," Buckley said. "But, I don't think their main source of offense comes from the post. They are more of a perimeter dominated team which plays into more of the way we play."
With some question surrounding McCollom's toe, Ball State will again turn to senior Chris Williams when it comes to offense. Williams continues to destroy defensive schemes and climb record charts game after game.
Currently ranked as the No. 1 scorer in the MAC with over 24 points a game, Williams also continues to advance in a couple of school records. He sits fifth on Ball State's single-season scoring list with 688 points and at least three games remaining. The record is 762 points by Dan Palombizio in 1984-85.
Also, Williams is only ten free throws away from breaking the most free throws made in a season, also held by Palombizio at 204. Williams has made 195 free throws.
Williams' offense alone may not be enough, however. On most occasions, when Ball State has won this season, it has been because of solid performances from several players, not just Williams.
With the possibility of McCollom having toe problems, the Cardinals may turn to Michael Bennett off of the bench for an extra punch. In the Cardinals' last six games, Bennett is averaging 22 minutes of play a game and has grabbed 24 rebounds, 11 of which have been offensive. In the same stretch, Bennett has aided Ball State with 10 assists and six steals.
If Ball State wins Wednesday against Toledo, it appears that the Cardinals will indeed host a first round MAC tournament game on Monday.
"I think it's important to try to get a home seed but you go into every game trying to win," Buckley said. "I think our guys are aware of where everything is right now. But I think we just have to keep playing and try to improve."
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