It has been 84 years since Ball State University's men's basketball team was 0-6; they are now 0-5.
Those are the historical stakes facing the Cardinals Saturday as they battle Valparaiso University on the road.
This game will mark Ball State's third of the season against another Indiana school. Ball State coach Billy Taylor, who faced two schools from the state in four years while at Lehigh University, said that in-state rivalries add a slight edge to a team's preparation.
"Every game is so important," Taylor said. "But there is a little added incentive when it's an in-state rival."
There will be few in-state opponents tougher for Ball State than the Crusaders, who enter the game 5-1. Valparaiso's last game was a victory against Mid-American Conference West Division preseason favorite Western Michigan University.
Valparaiso comes into this match up shooting 45 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range. Facing a team that can play both inside and outside will present an extra challenge to Ball State defensively, Taylor said.
"They have a lot of guys that can shoot the ball," he said. "They shoot the three extremely well. It's going to test our defense to contest the three and also limit points in the paint."
The Crusaders' offensive play is also characterized by balance. While Ball State saw five players eclipse the seven-point mark for the first time against St. Joseph's University Tuesday, Valparaiso has six players who average at least eight points a contest.
Taylor said Ball State would have to mirror that balance to take pressure off senior guard Peyton Stovall, who is averaging a team-leading 17 points a game in the Cardinals' three games without junior forward Anthony Newell. Newell is out for at least the non-conference season with a foot injury.
"We'd certainly love to have offensive balance," Taylor said. "We've got to make sure other guys are in positions to score, and that they're able to convert on open opportunities."
Taylor said his team had done good things and simply needed to be able to put it all together to learn how to win.
"Our program has made some great strides," Taylor said. "But there's no substitute for experience. You have to learn it on the floor."
Ball State will again be an underdog Saturday. However, Taylor and his team appear intent on proving their doubters wrong.
"We're still trying to figure out [how to win]," Taylor said. "But I think most people wouldn't have anticipated we'd be this competitive."
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