Ball State University Athletics
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Men’s Hoops Loads up on Tough Non-Conference Opponents
September 04, 2018 | Men's Basketball
Cardinals to open 2018-19 campaign Nov. 6 versus Indiana State
MUNCIE, Ind. -- NCAA tournament teams and in-state rivals litter the 2018 Ball State men's basketball non-conference schedule.
The Cardinals will face at least three NCAA teams from last year, including Final Four darling Loyola Chicago in the first of a home-and-home series with the Ramblers over the next two years.
Ball State will visit a Purdue team that reached the Sweet 16 and face a neutral site challenge against Virginia Tech in the first game of the Charleston Classic. The Hokies are receiving a good deal of preseason attention for returning seven of their top eight scorers from a team that lost a tight opening-round game last season to Alabama.
Speaking of Alabama, the Crimson Tide is another 2017 NCAA team Ball State could potentially face. The Cardinals will see either Alabama or Northeastern in their second game in Charleston. The other half of the eight-team bracket features Purdue, Wichita State, Davidson and Appalachian State. Wichita State and Davidson were also in the NCAA field last year.
After a Nov. 2 home exhibition against UIndy, Ball State will open the regular season Nov. 6 at Worthen Arena against Indiana State. That marks the first of six games against in-state opponents. In addition to the Sycamores and Purdue, the Cardinals will also face Valparaiso, IUPUI and Evansville (twice). The meetings with the Purple Aces will be in the first in more than a decade.
Ball State will spend much of December on the road before returning to Muncie to close the non-conference schedule with games against Howard and Delaware State. The Cardinals open Mid-American Conference play Jan. 5 at Toledo.
BSU is still working to finalize one more non-conference date.
Ball State returns its top four scorers from last season, headlined by All-MAC players Tayler Persons and Trey Moses. The Cardinals finished 19-13 last season and are averaging better than 20 wins per year over the past three under head coach James Whitford.
2018-19 Ball State Men's Basketball Schedule
Fri., Nov. 2 – UINDY (Exhibition)
Tues., Nov. 6 – INDIANA STATE
Sat., Nov. 10 – at Purdue
Thurs., Nov. 15 – vs. Virginia Tech (Charleston Classic)
Fri., Nov. 16 – vs. Alabama or Northeastern (Charleston Classic)
Sun., Nov. 18 – vs. TBD (Charleston Classic)
Sat., Nov. 24 – EVANSVILLE
Sat., Dec. 1 – at IUPUI
Wed., Dec. 5 – at Loyola Chicago
Sun., Dec. 9 – at Evansville
Mon., Dec. 17 – at Valparaiso
Thurs., Dec. 20 – HOWARD
Sat., Dec. 29 – DELAWARE STATE
Sat., Jan. 5 – at Toledo
Tues., Jan. 8 – EASTERN MICHIGAN
Sat., Jan. 12 – OHIO
Tues., Jan. 15 – at Bowling Green
Sat., Jan. 19 – at Central Michigan
Tues., Jan. 22 – MIAMI
Sat., Jan. 26 – at Ohio
Tues., Jan. 29 – at Buffalo
Sat., Feb. 2 – KENT STATE
Tues., Feb. 5 – at Northern Illinois
Sat., Feb. 9 – WESTERN MICHIGAN
Sat., Feb. 16 – AKRON
Tues., Feb. 19 – at Miami
Sat., Feb. 23 – CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Tues., Feb. 26 – TOLEDO
Sat., March 2 – at Western Michigan
Tues., March 5 – at Eastern Michigan
Fri., March 8 – NORTHERN ILLINOIS
March 11-16 – MAC Tournament
The Cardinals will face at least three NCAA teams from last year, including Final Four darling Loyola Chicago in the first of a home-and-home series with the Ramblers over the next two years.
Ball State will visit a Purdue team that reached the Sweet 16 and face a neutral site challenge against Virginia Tech in the first game of the Charleston Classic. The Hokies are receiving a good deal of preseason attention for returning seven of their top eight scorers from a team that lost a tight opening-round game last season to Alabama.
Speaking of Alabama, the Crimson Tide is another 2017 NCAA team Ball State could potentially face. The Cardinals will see either Alabama or Northeastern in their second game in Charleston. The other half of the eight-team bracket features Purdue, Wichita State, Davidson and Appalachian State. Wichita State and Davidson were also in the NCAA field last year.
After a Nov. 2 home exhibition against UIndy, Ball State will open the regular season Nov. 6 at Worthen Arena against Indiana State. That marks the first of six games against in-state opponents. In addition to the Sycamores and Purdue, the Cardinals will also face Valparaiso, IUPUI and Evansville (twice). The meetings with the Purple Aces will be in the first in more than a decade.
Ball State will spend much of December on the road before returning to Muncie to close the non-conference schedule with games against Howard and Delaware State. The Cardinals open Mid-American Conference play Jan. 5 at Toledo.
BSU is still working to finalize one more non-conference date.
Ball State returns its top four scorers from last season, headlined by All-MAC players Tayler Persons and Trey Moses. The Cardinals finished 19-13 last season and are averaging better than 20 wins per year over the past three under head coach James Whitford.
2018-19 Ball State Men's Basketball Schedule
Fri., Nov. 2 – UINDY (Exhibition)
Tues., Nov. 6 – INDIANA STATE
Sat., Nov. 10 – at Purdue
Thurs., Nov. 15 – vs. Virginia Tech (Charleston Classic)
Fri., Nov. 16 – vs. Alabama or Northeastern (Charleston Classic)
Sun., Nov. 18 – vs. TBD (Charleston Classic)
Sat., Nov. 24 – EVANSVILLE
Sat., Dec. 1 – at IUPUI
Wed., Dec. 5 – at Loyola Chicago
Sun., Dec. 9 – at Evansville
Mon., Dec. 17 – at Valparaiso
Thurs., Dec. 20 – HOWARD
Sat., Dec. 29 – DELAWARE STATE
Sat., Jan. 5 – at Toledo
Tues., Jan. 8 – EASTERN MICHIGAN
Sat., Jan. 12 – OHIO
Tues., Jan. 15 – at Bowling Green
Sat., Jan. 19 – at Central Michigan
Tues., Jan. 22 – MIAMI
Sat., Jan. 26 – at Ohio
Tues., Jan. 29 – at Buffalo
Sat., Feb. 2 – KENT STATE
Tues., Feb. 5 – at Northern Illinois
Sat., Feb. 9 – WESTERN MICHIGAN
Sat., Feb. 16 – AKRON
Tues., Feb. 19 – at Miami
Sat., Feb. 23 – CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Tues., Feb. 26 – TOLEDO
Sat., March 2 – at Western Michigan
Tues., March 5 – at Eastern Michigan
Fri., March 8 – NORTHERN ILLINOIS
March 11-16 – MAC Tournament
Players Mentioned
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