EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- There were plenty of things Ball State knew would be challenging in its first road game of the season Saturday night.
Chief among them was a talented but largely unknown Evansville team featuring seven different players from the squad the Cardinals faced twice a year ago.
Then there was the year's first trip to a hostile environment as Ball State works in its own healthy number of newcomers.
But one challenge that was unanticipated and seemingly the most difficult to overcome: trailing by 25 points early in the second half.
Ball State nearly handled all three.