MUNCIE - Ball State seniors Mike Bennett and Matt McCollom know today's final regular season game of their careers will be emotional.
Coach Tim Buckley hopes he did enough Friday to make sure the players don't lose their focus today.
The focus of today's matchup against Western Michigan revolves around the Mid-American Conference Tournament that will start with first-round games at campus sites on Monday. Ball State still has a shot at hosting one of those games, but only with a victory today. A loss today assures that the Cardinals will be road-tripping for the rest of the season.
"It is an emotional day," Buckley said of senior day, where Dennis Trammell and Terrance Chapman, two-year members of the program, will also be recognized. "But we don't want it to be a distraction, and we'll talk about that to make sure it isn't."
Today's game at Worthen Arena will begin at 1 p.m.
Throughout their careers, Bennett and McCollom have been steady influences in a program that has hads its ups and downs. They enjoyed perhaps their most enjoyable moments as freshmen, when the Cardinals upset national powers Kansas and UCLA and played Duke in the championship game of the Maui Invitational.
"That's always something that I'll remember," Bennett said. "That was the top, the best basketball of my life."
Those three games in Hawaii were the first collegiate games for Bennett and McCollom; now, Monday's MAC Tournament game could be the last.
"I know it will be an emotional day," McCollom said. "I've kind of been thinking about it more this week. I've had so many great times here, all four years."
McCollom's career has come full circle. In his first three seasons, he started 87 of 94 games. But this season, McCollom has started just three of 26 games. Two of those have come in the past three games when Trammell has been injured. McCollom will start again today, as Trammell's career is finished because of severe tendinitis in his left leg.
"It's been very easy to handle because of the way Matt has handled it," Buckley said of the changing role for McCollom during his senior year. "Matt's always been a team-first guy, and his role has changed again since Dennis has been out."
Both Bennett and McCollom said they hope to be remembered by their work ethic more than anything.
"That I always came and gave everything I had, that I was a good guy, a team guy, and that I believed in God," McCollom said of how he envisioned fans remembering him.
"That I was a hard worker, that I did anything for the team to win, that I sacrificed," Bennett said.
Bennett, McCollom, Trammell have already earned their college degrees, and Chapman is on pace to earn his this spring.
"It's always a special day, because you know how much they've put into it," Buckley said of the seniors.
Coach Tim Buckley hopes he did enough Friday to make sure the players don't lose their focus today.
The focus of today's matchup against Western Michigan revolves around the Mid-American Conference Tournament that will start with first-round games at campus sites on Monday. Ball State still has a shot at hosting one of those games, but only with a victory today. A loss today assures that the Cardinals will be road-tripping for the rest of the season.
"It is an emotional day," Buckley said of senior day, where Dennis Trammell and Terrance Chapman, two-year members of the program, will also be recognized. "But we don't want it to be a distraction, and we'll talk about that to make sure it isn't."
Today's game at Worthen Arena will begin at 1 p.m.
Throughout their careers, Bennett and McCollom have been steady influences in a program that has hads its ups and downs. They enjoyed perhaps their most enjoyable moments as freshmen, when the Cardinals upset national powers Kansas and UCLA and played Duke in the championship game of the Maui Invitational.
"That's always something that I'll remember," Bennett said. "That was the top, the best basketball of my life."
Those three games in Hawaii were the first collegiate games for Bennett and McCollom; now, Monday's MAC Tournament game could be the last.
"I know it will be an emotional day," McCollom said. "I've kind of been thinking about it more this week. I've had so many great times here, all four years."
McCollom's career has come full circle. In his first three seasons, he started 87 of 94 games. But this season, McCollom has started just three of 26 games. Two of those have come in the past three games when Trammell has been injured. McCollom will start again today, as Trammell's career is finished because of severe tendinitis in his left leg.
"It's been very easy to handle because of the way Matt has handled it," Buckley said of the changing role for McCollom during his senior year. "Matt's always been a team-first guy, and his role has changed again since Dennis has been out."
Both Bennett and McCollom said they hope to be remembered by their work ethic more than anything.
"That I always came and gave everything I had, that I was a good guy, a team guy, and that I believed in God," McCollom said of how he envisioned fans remembering him.
"That I was a hard worker, that I did anything for the team to win, that I sacrificed," Bennett said.
Bennett, McCollom, Trammell have already earned their college degrees, and Chapman is on pace to earn his this spring.
"It's always a special day, because you know how much they've put into it," Buckley said of the seniors.
