MUNCIE — There were two chances.
Ball State played a home game against Central Michigan and a game at Northern Illinois with the Mid-American Conference West Division championship on the line. The first game was a loss. The second was, well, another loss.
But the feeling after was a bit different for Ball State head coach James Whitford. The first was a lackluster effort; his guys stood and watched as Central Michigan pulled down rebounds. That season-ending loss to Northern Illinois, though, his guys played the right way.
They had good body language, they hustled and they looked like they wanted to win.