Teague Named Preseason All-MAC, Cardinals Expected to Contend in West

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Tahjai Teague garnered preseason All-MAC recognition, and the Ball State men's basketball team was picked to finish third in the league's West Division in a tight vote of the league's head coaches.

The conference announced its preseason poll Thursday, days ahead of the 2019-20 season. The Cardinals open Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Defiance at Worthen Arena.

Teague is the Cardinals' top returner in points (13.5) and rebounds (7.5) per game In addition to total steals (44) and blocked shots (29). The fifth-year senior from Indianapolis surpassed 1,000 points for his career last season. His 55 percent field goal mark ranked second in the MAC.

The league race is expected to be as open as any year in recent memory. Toledo was picked to win the West Division. Northern Illinois, which boasts the league's top returning scorer in Eugene German, edged Ball State by one point for No. 2 in the division in the preseason balloting.

Bowling Green was picked as the favorite to win the East Division and the MAC Tournament over reigning champion Buffalo, which lost its top three scorers from last year's squad that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

BSU returns eight letterwinners, including starters Kyle Mallers, K.J. Walton and Teague, from last year's squad. The team also features six players who will suit up for the first time with three true freshmen and three who redshirted last year.

The Cardinals' schedule features home matchups with 20-game winners Loyola Chicago and Northern Kentucky, a rivalry game with Indiana State at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, a visit to Georgia Tech, a holiday trip to Hawaii for the Diamond Head Classic with a game against defending Pac-12 regular season champion Washington, and a the usual 18-game MAC slate.

Season and single-game tickets are available by visiting the Men's Basketball Tickets page, by calling 888-BSU-TICKET or by visiting the Stoops Buick/GMC Ticket Center inside Gate 1 of Worthen Arena.

MAC West Division Predictions (First Place Votes)
Toledo - 69 (11)
Northern Illinois - 52
Ball State - 51 (1)
Central Michigan - 41
Western Michigan - 23
Eastern Michigan - 16

MAC East Division Predictions (First Place Votes)
Bowling Green - 69 (9)
Buffalo - 58 (3)
Kent State - 43
Miami - 37
Akron - 33
Ohio - 12

Tournament Champs: Bowling Green (6), Toledo (2), Buffalo (1), Kent State (1), Miami (1), NIU (1)

West Division Preseason All-MAC Team
Eugene German, Northern Illinois, Sr., G
Tahjai Teague, Ball State, R-Sr., F
Marreon Jackson, Toledo, Jr., G
Luke Knapke, Toledo, Sr., C
Michael Flowers, Western Michigan, Jr., G
Dave DiLeo, Central Michigan, Sr., F

East Division Preseason All-MAC Team
Justin Turner, Bowling Green, R-Jr., G
Dylan Frye, Bowling Green, Sr., G
Phillip Whittington, Kent State, Jr., F
Nike Sibande, Miami, Jr., G
Jayvon Graves, Buffalo, Jr., G

Teague Named Preseason All-MAC, Cardinals Expected to Contend in West

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Kyle Mallers

Tahjai Teague

K.J. Walton

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