Ball State
was a couple last-second losses away from winning the MAC West
in 2004-2005. Instead, the Cardinals ended 10-8 in the
conference, lost in their first game of the MAC Tournament and
failed to make a post season tournament.
Who’s Out:
The absence of the number two and three scorers will hurt.
Dennis Trammell averaged nearly 16 points and the offensive
rebounding machine, Terrance Chapman, averaged 14.1 points per
contest and tacked on a team high 9.4 rebounds. The guard trio
of Matt McCollom, Michael Bennett and Jesse McClung were solid
options off the bench but will not be returning to Muncie.
Who’s In:
Coach Tim Buckley’s thin bench contributed to the late season
slide last year. A whole slew of newcomers should put an end to
that problem. Guards Maurice Acker, Jalon Perryman and
Christopher Ames will need to be ready to see a lot of minutes
along side of returnees Peyton Stovall and Darren Yates. Acker,
a 5-8 point guard, could be starting by the end of the year so
Stovall can move over to the two. Perryman averaged 19.1 points,
8.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists last year at Rogers High School in
Detroit. Ames could end up making the biggest impact this
season. The 6-3, 200 pound bruiser played at Southeastern
Illinois last year and his experience, toughness and versatility
will earn him some quality minutes. Junior college transfer
D’Andre Peyton can run the floor very well and is a solid
defender. The 6-7 small forward needs to work on his jumper, but
he’ll see some playing time at both forward spots. Pat Nelson, a
6-10 230 pound center, is a hardworking big man who has plenty
of potential. Landon Adler and Anthony Newell, who both
redshirted a year ago, have some experience with the team and
will be looked upon to provide a spark off the bench. It is
difficult to call Charles Bass a newcomer since he’s been at
Ball State for a year and a half. The 6-9, 215 pound forward sat
out for a year after transferring from Ohio State and when he
was eligible after the first semester last year, he was
sidelined with an injury. Expected to be healthy, Bass will
compete for a starting job at the five spot.
Who to Watch:
All of Muncie held their breath when Peyton
Stovall went down during the opening round MAC Tournament game
at Bowling Green. The 6-1 guard could only hobble back to the
bench with an injured anterior cruciate ligament in his left
knee. Stovall is well on his way to a full recovery and will be
ready to once again lead the Cardinals. As a sophomore last year
he averaged 16.7 points, ranking fifth overall in the MAC. The
Lafayette, Indiana native also added 3.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists
and 1.6 steals per contest. If Stovall struggles, so will Ball
State.
Projected Conference Rank:
Four players averaged double digits last year
and two of them are gone. After that group, nobody averaged more
than four points per game. Beyond Peyton Stovall and Skip Mills,
the starting jobs are up for grabs. Center Anthony Kent came on
strong at the end of the year and Darren Yates has some
experience. The Cardinals may start off with Kent and Bass in
the starting five, but eventually a three guard lineup is more
likely. The only problem is Tim Buckley will have to wait until
he has three guards that are ready to start. At least there are
options and that will help Ball State finish 4th
overall in the MAC and earn a trip to the NIT.
Projected Post-season Tournament:
NIT
Projected Starting Five:
Peyton Stovall, Junior, Guard, 16.7 points per game
Darren Yates, Junior, Guard, 3.9 points per game
Skip Mills, Junior, Forward, 11.9 points per game
Charles Bass, Junior, Forward, DNP last season
Anthony Kent, Senior, Center, 2.7 points per game
