Ball State power forward Terrance Chapman thinks he'll be ready to play in tonight's basketball game.
If he can't or is limited, Matt McCollom is among a group of contenders to replace Chapman in the starting lineup.
No matter who plays, will Ball State build off its monumental victory Saturday at Western Michigan or suffer a letdown?
Numerous questions abound for the Cardinals (9-5, 4-2 Mid-American Conference West) as they prepare to play Akron (11-5, 5-3 MAC East) at 7 p.m. today in Rhodes Arena. Ball State is coming off a 66-65 win that broke Western Michigan's 25-game home winning streak, handing the Broncos their first loss in seven MAC games.
"I would be very disappointed if we had a letdown," Ball State coach Tim Buckley said. "That would mean we made a conscious decision to let down. We talk all the time about making a decision to have success and play at a level that is at championship level."
Of greater concern to the Cardinals is the status of Chapman, their leading rebounder (9.1) and No. 3 scorer (14.6). Chapman, who leads the MAC in offensive rebounds at 4.0 per game, injured his left shoulder in the first half at Western Michigan and missed the final 25:44.
An MRI exam on Sunday revealed no significant damage to the shoulder. Chapman was unsure whether he would practice Monday but hopes to play against the Zips.
"I'm hoping I play; I'm pretty sure I am," he said. "The way I'm feeling now, I'll play. I'm pretty confident I will be out there."
Buckley said Chapman's status wouldn't be determined until game time. Buckley will confer with the Cardinals' medical staff, and he said Chapman would not be used if there was a risk of further injuring the shoulder.
If Chapman can't play, Buckley said either McCollom, forward Mike Bennett or center Anthony Kent would start.
The Cardinals used McCollom for a significant part of the game against Western Michigan, giving them a four-guard lineup and a mismatch advantage. McCollom played a season-high 22 minutes, finishing with five points and four rebounds while helping hold Levi Rost scoreless in the second half. Rost, a 6-7 forward, scored 14 points in the first half.
"Matt is a great example for any young student-athlete," Buckley said. "He's not happy that he hasn't played as much (as he has in the past), and he shouldn't be. But he's not going to let that affect how he approaches the game."
If McCollom plays in a four-guard lineup, he'll likely have to defend a bigger player. He faced a similar situation several other times during his career.
"You can't let yourself get pushed underneath the basket," McCollom said. "I've guarded guys down low before, and the biggest thing is to keep the ball out of the post and battle them. If you don't, you're in trouble."
If he can't or is limited, Matt McCollom is among a group of contenders to replace Chapman in the starting lineup.
No matter who plays, will Ball State build off its monumental victory Saturday at Western Michigan or suffer a letdown?
Numerous questions abound for the Cardinals (9-5, 4-2 Mid-American Conference West) as they prepare to play Akron (11-5, 5-3 MAC East) at 7 p.m. today in Rhodes Arena. Ball State is coming off a 66-65 win that broke Western Michigan's 25-game home winning streak, handing the Broncos their first loss in seven MAC games.
"I would be very disappointed if we had a letdown," Ball State coach Tim Buckley said. "That would mean we made a conscious decision to let down. We talk all the time about making a decision to have success and play at a level that is at championship level."
Of greater concern to the Cardinals is the status of Chapman, their leading rebounder (9.1) and No. 3 scorer (14.6). Chapman, who leads the MAC in offensive rebounds at 4.0 per game, injured his left shoulder in the first half at Western Michigan and missed the final 25:44.
An MRI exam on Sunday revealed no significant damage to the shoulder. Chapman was unsure whether he would practice Monday but hopes to play against the Zips.
"I'm hoping I play; I'm pretty sure I am," he said. "The way I'm feeling now, I'll play. I'm pretty confident I will be out there."
Buckley said Chapman's status wouldn't be determined until game time. Buckley will confer with the Cardinals' medical staff, and he said Chapman would not be used if there was a risk of further injuring the shoulder.
If Chapman can't play, Buckley said either McCollom, forward Mike Bennett or center Anthony Kent would start.
The Cardinals used McCollom for a significant part of the game against Western Michigan, giving them a four-guard lineup and a mismatch advantage. McCollom played a season-high 22 minutes, finishing with five points and four rebounds while helping hold Levi Rost scoreless in the second half. Rost, a 6-7 forward, scored 14 points in the first half.
"Matt is a great example for any young student-athlete," Buckley said. "He's not happy that he hasn't played as much (as he has in the past), and he shouldn't be. But he's not going to let that affect how he approaches the game."
If McCollom plays in a four-guard lineup, he'll likely have to defend a bigger player. He faced a similar situation several other times during his career.
"You can't let yourself get pushed underneath the basket," McCollom said. "I've guarded guys down low before, and the biggest thing is to keep the ball out of the post and battle them. If you don't, you're in trouble."
