Ball State University Athletics
Peyton Stovall Q & A
March 04, 2008 | Men's Basketball
Peyton Stovall, a fifth-year senior on the men's basketball team, will play his final game in Worthen Arena when
PS: The main reason was Skip Mills and Darren Yates were coming here. It was also close for my family to be able come and watch. They have been at every home game since I've been at
Q: What has been your most fun season and why?
PS: My sophomore year (2005-06), even though I got hurt at the end, was probably the most fun I've had in a
Q: What has meant the most to you about being a part of the BSU Basketball Program?
PS: The fan support, the university and everybody that comes to the games and how helpful they've been to the basketball program. That's the biggest thing for me is trying to give back to everybody who has done so much for my team and me.
Q: What was your greatest experience at
PS: My internship with
Q: What made the internship so special?
PS: Being with
Q: If you were granted three wishes, what would you use them on?
PS: (laughs) My first wish would be to win a MAC (Mid-American Conference) Championship. My second wish would be that after I leave, all my teammates would continue to win. My third one would be that I never tore my ACL. But if I had not torn it, I would not be here today (laughs). I'm going to take that one back. I wish I could have graduated with Skip and Darren. Finishing together would've been fun.
Q: What do you hope to do with your degree?
PS: I'm not real sure yet. I know I want to follow what
Q: Talk about some of your future goals and aspirations.
PS: I just want to be happy. I think anything I choose to do my family would support me. I think I'll be happy with whatever I choose to do. I'm just going to follow what God wants me to do and just listen. I want to write a book about my experience at
Q: What are some of the things you would write about?
PS: Definitely the ice storm experience, which was fun. The coaching changes and going through my adversity with the knee injury (2005-06) would probably be the top three.
Q: You've been through a great deal with this program. What has driven you and motivated you to stick with it and give it your all day in and day out?
PS: My family is my complete motivation and God. Without them, I would not be where I am today. That motivates me every single day to just improve and to just continue to drive for them and then for myself as well.
Q: Talk about your experience in
PS: It was so much fun. I went with Chris (
Q: You're one of 10 finalists for the Lowe's Class Senior Award and currently fourth in fan voting. What is it like to be mentioned among seniors that are considered some of the top players in the country and be in the running for such a prestigious award?
PS: It is a great feeling to be up there and have
Q: If you had a million dollars what would you do?
PS: (Laughs). My parents have spent so much money on me for the past 23 years, I'd probably have to give them half of the million dollars to pay them back (laughs). But they do that because I'm one of their kids. The other half, I'd probably build a huge locker room for the basketball team, then buy a nice little house and a nice little car.
Q: If one person played you in a movie, who would it be?
PS: (laughs) Denzel or maybe Will Smith. He's one of my favorite actors. I'd probably have to go with Will Smith because we both have the ears (laughs).
Q: What do you hope your teammates have learned from you most and will carry on after you're time is done?
PS: Through adversity, stay strong. Through Christ you can do anything you put your mind to and you can come back from anything.
Q: How would you describe the maturation of the team this year and where do you see them at this point next year?
PS: I see us as a young team but a team that is still hungry. A team that is not really sure what it is like to play in the MAC, but on the verge of being really good. We have had some close games. By this time next year, I expect to be coming back to the games and hearing about them on ESPN and hearing about how this program has just gotten flipped over.
Q: What do you want your final pre-game drink to be? (Prior to tip-off each game, Stovall has received a cup from Chris Taylor containing a drink of choice and takes a sip. The general formula has been Pepsi after wins and Sprite after losses. This tradition gained momentum from the pre-game ritual used by former
PS: (laughs) Man, I don't know. My last drink would have to be red Gatorade. If I am correct, that is the first thing Chris gave me, just regular old red Gatorade.
Q: Although it is set in stone that you're last game at Worthen Arena is Mar. 4, no one can say for sure when your season and collegiate career will come to a close. Knowing that you can play with anyone in the MAC, what would it mean to you to win the tournament and head to the “Big Dance?”
PS: I hope so much to do that in my last season. I keep telling people I can dance pretty good (laughs). Some of my teammates have some nice moves too. I think we would do well if we hit the dance floor. It would mean so much to get to that point.
Q: What will be the most difficult thing about your last home game at Worthen Arena?
PS: The most difficult part will be my parents coming out on the court with me and looking up in the crowd and knowing it will be the last time I'll see the crowd like this, the last time I'll see myself in this jersey and seeing my jersey cased up. That will be tough for me. Looking back at my teammates and not seeing them in the locker room next year.
Q: When you leave your legacy at
PS: This guy would not stop for anything. He was thrown a bunch of hurdles, did not care what it was and just kept coming and coming. This guy is determined. He helped
