Ball State basketball: 5 things to know heading into 2023-24 season
MUNCIE, Ind. — The Ball State men's basketball season is here.
The Cardinals tip off at 7 p.m. Tuesday against Goshen in Worthen Arena, the start of head coach Michael Lewis' second campaign.
Ball State was picked to finished eighth in the preseason Mid-American Conference coaches' poll, four spots lower than its fourth-seed placement at the conclusion of last winter's historic regular season, which led to a disappointing first-round exit in the MAC tournament.
Here are five talking points heading into the season:
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Best-case scenario
In order for BSU to reach its ceiling, top returners Basheer Jihad and Mickey Pearson must take their games to the next level in the absence of last year's top four scorers.
Both players made tremendous strides as sophomores, combining to average 14.8 points per game, more than double their production from the previous year. They will be given prominent roles as upperclassmen and Lewis' most trusted players.
"They've really improved. They're in Year 2. They know what our expectations are. They know how we operate," Lewis said. "I don't know how comfortable they are projecting that onto others from a leadership standpoint, trying to empower (and) push those guys to be a little bit more vocal in those areas. I'm sure there's doing some things behind the scenes. I'd like to see it more on the court."
Pearson said he spent the offseason working on his ball handling, playmaking and outside shooting, hoping to be a more consistent offensive threat.
Jihad said he gained 10-15 pounds to help stay on balance and finish through contact more while also putting in the most consistent work on his jump shot that he ever has in his young career.
They both also feel that the team's new five-out, faster-paced offensive approach suits them better. Jihad had a good start with a team-high 13 points in BSU's 85-52 exhibition win against Rose-Hulman.
"It's a role that I want, it's a role I've been waiting for, so I'm excited to have it," Jihad said. "I'm just trying to take advantage of it and be the best I could be for my team."
Ball State will also need all its newcomers and former reserves to gel as well. Lewis wants a defensive-minded squad and believes the guards, in particular, have a chance to excel with that mindset.
But with a smaller overall roster devoid of a proven high-volume Division I scorer, the Cardinals will also need to take and make 3s at a high clip. BSU had the third-fewest long-range attempts in the MAC last winter despite shooting the third-highest percentage.
Lewis also sees the potential for more depth; he often deployed no more than seven or eight players in a game. He hopes to expand that number depending on matchups or replacing an injured contributor.
If the team can control the perimeter on both ends, manage on the glass and see All-MAC-level development from Jihad and/or Pearson, the Cardinals could repeat a 20-plus win campaign.
Entering the postseason healthier and armed with last year's experience would also bode well for a deeper run.
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Worst-case scenario
Lewis said this roster might be the youngest he's ever been a part of, yet he and his staff will place a hefty load on several newcomers without track records of elite production.
If Jihad and Pearson don't take that next step and the many new players and former reserves aren't yet ready for expanded minutes, the Cardinals could struggle early and often.
The five freshmen, in particular, will be pivotal to Ball State's success or demise. Forward Mason Jones was the group's lone starter in the exhibition game and did well with nine points, and center Zane Doughty produced off the bench with 12.
Both of them will likely be key parts of the rotation, with the others — Joey Brown, Trent Middleton Jr. and Jurica Zagorsak — battling to earn minutes. As much as Lewis hopes to play up to nine guys consistently, he said during the team's media day on October 11 that he only trusted "three and a half" players at that point.
There are also two redshirt freshmen — guards Micah Bell and Quincy Adams — who will be called upon. Bell made an impression with eight points in the exhibition.
It's a young, unproven group filled with potential. Relying on such inexperience could burn BSU and leave them without a MAC tournament invitation.
"You got eight new guys, five freshmen. Hopefully, those guys can become sophomores as quickly as possible. I think our success is going to be directly dependent on how quickly those guys mature," Lewis said. "Last year, we were trying to set a culture and an accountability, what our expectations were, what it takes to win at this level. This year, it's a lot more teaching and educating these guys on what our program's about, just basic basketball things. So some of that's been refreshing, some of it's been frustrating, but it's part of the process and it's fun to watch these guys grow up."
X-factor transfer to watch
Junior Jalin Anderson from Loyola Marymount started at point guard in the exhibition game, had 11 points and has already slotted into a prime leadership role.
He's experienced the highest level of college basketball competition of any Cardinals player, having averaged 9.8 points and 2.2 assists on 40.1/35.3/62.2 shooting splits in 31 games last season, in which he started 18. His 3-point shooting increased to 43.8% in West Coast Conference play, as did his scoring (10.6 PPG, third highest on the Lions), despite mostly coming off the bench.
He's a passionate and joyful competitor with maturity and athleticism. Anderson will act as an extension of Lewis on the court and be tasked with organizing a new-look offense. Him being a 3-point shooting threat and making his teammates better will be crucial factors in Ball State's unproven roster reaching its potential.
Jihad said Anderson made an immediate impression from Day 1.
"Leadership, that's why I'm here," Anderson said. "I've been in college basketball for some time, played in a really good conference. So my coaches expect me to be a leader, my teammates are expecting me to be a leader and I'm expecting (that of) myself. I know that's the next step in my game."
X-factor freshman to watch
Although Jones started in the exhibition and Brown's premier physical tools are intriguing, Doughty's presence in the middle might make or break BSU in 2023-24.
Without Payton Sparks, Ball State needs a big man to crash the boards, defend the rim and collapse the defense. Jihad, while capable, has yet to establish himself as a full-time center, and there will be nights when he'll be in foul trouble.
Redshirt junior Ben Hendricks is the largest player on the roster, but he's averaged 1.4 points across 39 career games and lacks the athleticism necessary to consistently keep up at this level.
So the 6-foot-9 Daughty, who led Ben Davis to an undefeated Class 4A state championship season as the leader in points (13.5), rebounds (9.2) and blocks (2.8) per game, playing above his freshman status would make BSU significantly more formidable.
The problem is that his transition was limited because of offseason surgery to fix a stress fracture in his right foot, which he said might've first developed as far back as last winter.
"For a freshman, he missed a lot of the catchup time, and so he's really going to be behind the eight ball," Lewis said during media day. "But I love his enthusiasm, I love his competitiveness, and he's not scared."
5 most important games on the schedule
Saturday, Nov. 11, 2 p.m.: Ball State vs. Old Dominion in MAC-SBC Challenge at Worthen Arena
Ball State's second game is the first of two matchups with Sun Belt teams as part of the conferences' new scheduling alliance. This meeting will be a good early-season test against a squad that finished 19-12 last year and was voted to finish third in the SBC preseason coaches' poll.
Saturday, Dec. 16, 1:45 p.m.: Ball State vs. Indiana State at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Peacock)
The Cardinals return to Indianapolis for the second annual Indy Classic, this time against an in-state rival they lost to 83-71 on the road last year. It marks an opportunity for payback on a big stage.
Thursday, Dec. 21, 8 p.m.: Ball State at Minnesota
This will be Ball State's final non-conference contest before a two-week break. Facing a Big Ten foe presents a daunting challenge and a good opportunity to see how Ball State matches up with better competition.
Saturday, Jan. 20, 2 p.m.: Ball State vs. Miami (Ohio) at Worthen Arena
It's always intense and exciting when the Cardinals and RedHawks face off. Last year's meeting in Muncie drew 5,550 fans to watch a 75-61 BSU victory. Lewis and company will surely be hoping for a repeat.
Tuesday, March 5, 7 p.m.: Ball State vs. Kent State at Worthen Arena
This is Ball State's final home game of the season and Senior Night. BSU won a thrilling 82-70 late-season matchup with KSU a year ago, and this contest could be crucial for MAC tournament qualification or seed placement.
Gus Martin is a sports reporter at The Star Press. Follow him on X (platform formerly known as Twitter) @GusMartin_SP, and contact him at gmartin@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Ball State basketball: 5 things to know heading into 2023-24 season
