By Mark Schmetzer
Enquirer contributor

Danny Horace has mixed feelings as he watches Miami win without him in the lineup.

On one hand, he's proud to see his teammates meet the challenge.

On the other, he desperately wants to join the fun.

A bone bruise and small ligament tear in his right ankle have limited the 6-foot-6 junior forward from Western Hills to just eight minutes against Buffalo on Jan. 7 and forced him to watch the next two games, against Akron and Kent State, in street clothes from the bench. The RedHawks won all three games.

On Thursday, Horace said he's hoping to be ready for Miami's 2 p.m. Mid-American Conference game today against Ball State at Millett Hall.

"I want to hurry up and get back because I want to get out there and start playing, but I also feel like they're playing well, which means I can wait until I'm 100 percent and can really help," said Horace, who is averaging 9.2 points and 6.0 rebounds this season.

If he can play, Horace will come in handy against a Ball State team that, like Miami, is 3-1 in the MAC and riding a three-game winning streak. The Cardinals, who opened the MAC season with a three-point loss at East Division-leading Kent State, are 6-6 overall.

The Cardinals opened the season with a win over Xavier at Muncie, Ind. They are third in the West Division, one game behind Western Michigan and a half-game behind Toledo.

The key to Ball State's surge is an offense that has produced 90 or more points in each of its last two games and averaged 87 over its last three.

"We must get back on defense," RedHawks coach Charlie Coles said. "Ball State is capable of scoring a lot of points, and right now they have to be one of the two best offensive teams in the league as far as scoring points."

In Horace's absence, two RedHawks have stepped up: junior guard Chet Mason, who averaged 10.3 rebounds in the last three games, and senior forward Gene Seals, who averaged 9.0 grabs a game while starting for Horace.

"It's real big," senior guard Juby Johnson said about Miami's performance without Horace. "Danny's one of the better players in the league, but the whole team is stepping up. When he comes back, we'll be that much better."

Mason agrees.

"We miss him," he said of Horace. "It's like family, when you lose one of your brothers."

Miami vs. Ball State

Tipoff: 2 p.m. today, Millett Hall (9,200), Oxford.

Records: Miami 7-5 (3-1 Mid-American Conference), Ball State 6-6 (3-1).

Radio: WCKY-AM (1360), WMOH-AM (1450).

TV: Ch. 64

Series: Miami leads 48-34.

Line: Miami by 6 1/2.

MIAMI

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Chet Mason	Jr.	6-4	12.1
Josh Hausfeld	So.	6-3	9.3
Juby Johnson	Sr.	6-5	15.3
Gene Seals	Sr.	6-6	5.5
Tim Schenke	Jr.	6-6	4.3

Coach: Charlie Coles (127-97, eighth season; 219-182 overall).

BALL STATE

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Robert Owens	Sr.	6-7	13.6
Dennis Trammell	Jr.	6-3	13.2
Cameron Echols	Sr.	6-8	9.9
Peyton Stovall	Fr.	6-1	5.5
Matt McCollom	Jr.	6-2	7.3

Coach: Tim Buckley (60-47, fourth season; 110-99 overall).