Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
Men’s Hoops Tabbed Second in West, Persons Preseason All-MAC
October 26, 2017 | Men's Basketball
Cardinals among top vote getters for MAC Tournament favorite
MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State men's basketball team was picked to finish second in the Mid-American Conference West Division in the league's preseason poll. Junior point guard Tayler Persons was tabbed to the Preseason All-MAC West Team.
The selections were made by a panel of all 12 MAC head coaches and 18 media members and announced Thursday morning.
The Cardinals also received five votes as the favorite to win the MAC Tournament, finishing behind only Western Michigan and Buffalo.
Western Michigan was picked to win the West Division. The Broncos and Cardinals shared the division title last season, splitting their regular season meetings before Ball State won the rubber match in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament. BSU was also picked second in the West last season.
Buffalo was voted the favorite to win the league's East Division this year, while 2017 MAC Tournament champion Kent State was chosen second.
Persons was an All-MAC Second Team selection last season as a sophomore when he averaged 15.5 points per game and ranked second in the MAC with 4.9 assists per game. The Kokomo, Indiana, product became the first player in BSU history to record at least 500 points (526) and 150 assists (167) in a season.
Ball State, entering its fifth season under head coach James Whitford, finished 21-13 (11-7 MAC) last year. The Cardinals surpassed the 20-win mark in consecutive seasons for the first time since the early 1990s and also shared the MAC West title for the second year in a row.
The Cardinals return eight letterwinners and four starters from last year's team, welcoming back 70 percent of their scoring from a season ago.
Ball State will begin the 2017-18 campaign with a Nov. 6 exhibition game against Saint Francis (Ind.) at Worthen Arena. The Cardinals open the regular season Nov. 10 at Dayton.
MAC East Division MBB Preseason Poll (first place votes)
Buffalo – 166 points (24)
Kent State – 139 points (2)
Ohio – 127 points (3)
Akron – 84 points (1)
Bowling Green – 82 points
Miami – 32 points
MAC West Division MBB Preseason Poll (first place votes)
Western Michigan – 169 points (22)
Ball State – 156 points (8)
Toledo – 107 points
Eastern Michigan – 103 points
Northern Illinois – 57 points
Central Michigan – 38 points
MAC Tournament Champion: Western Michigan (10), Buffalo (9), Ball State (5), Kent State (2), Toledo (2), Bowling Green (1), Miami (1)
MAC East Division Preseason All-MAC Team
C.J. Massinburg, Buffalo, Jr., Guard
Nick Perkins, Buffalo, Jr., Forward
Jaylin Walker, Kent State, Jr., Guard
Jordan Dartis, Ohio, Jr., Guard
Jason Carter, Ohio, So., Forward
MAC West Division Preseason All-MAC Team
James Thompson IV, Eastern Michigan, Jr., Forward/Center
Thomas Wilder, Western Michigan, Sr., Guard
Tayler Persons, Ball State, Jr., Guard
Jaelan Sanford, Toledo, Jr., Guard
Eugene German, Northern Illinois, So., Guard
The selections were made by a panel of all 12 MAC head coaches and 18 media members and announced Thursday morning.
The Cardinals also received five votes as the favorite to win the MAC Tournament, finishing behind only Western Michigan and Buffalo.
Western Michigan was picked to win the West Division. The Broncos and Cardinals shared the division title last season, splitting their regular season meetings before Ball State won the rubber match in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament. BSU was also picked second in the West last season.
Buffalo was voted the favorite to win the league's East Division this year, while 2017 MAC Tournament champion Kent State was chosen second.
Persons was an All-MAC Second Team selection last season as a sophomore when he averaged 15.5 points per game and ranked second in the MAC with 4.9 assists per game. The Kokomo, Indiana, product became the first player in BSU history to record at least 500 points (526) and 150 assists (167) in a season.
Ball State, entering its fifth season under head coach James Whitford, finished 21-13 (11-7 MAC) last year. The Cardinals surpassed the 20-win mark in consecutive seasons for the first time since the early 1990s and also shared the MAC West title for the second year in a row.
The Cardinals return eight letterwinners and four starters from last year's team, welcoming back 70 percent of their scoring from a season ago.
Ball State will begin the 2017-18 campaign with a Nov. 6 exhibition game against Saint Francis (Ind.) at Worthen Arena. The Cardinals open the regular season Nov. 10 at Dayton.
MAC East Division MBB Preseason Poll (first place votes)
Buffalo – 166 points (24)
Kent State – 139 points (2)
Ohio – 127 points (3)
Akron – 84 points (1)
Bowling Green – 82 points
Miami – 32 points
MAC West Division MBB Preseason Poll (first place votes)
Western Michigan – 169 points (22)
Ball State – 156 points (8)
Toledo – 107 points
Eastern Michigan – 103 points
Northern Illinois – 57 points
Central Michigan – 38 points
MAC Tournament Champion: Western Michigan (10), Buffalo (9), Ball State (5), Kent State (2), Toledo (2), Bowling Green (1), Miami (1)
MAC East Division Preseason All-MAC Team
C.J. Massinburg, Buffalo, Jr., Guard
Nick Perkins, Buffalo, Jr., Forward
Jaylin Walker, Kent State, Jr., Guard
Jordan Dartis, Ohio, Jr., Guard
Jason Carter, Ohio, So., Forward
MAC West Division Preseason All-MAC Team
James Thompson IV, Eastern Michigan, Jr., Forward/Center
Thomas Wilder, Western Michigan, Sr., Guard
Tayler Persons, Ball State, Jr., Guard
Jaelan Sanford, Toledo, Jr., Guard
Eugene German, Northern Illinois, So., Guard
Players Mentioned
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