Photo by: Josh Brunette
Men's Basketball Announces 2025-26 Non-Conference Schedule
August 18, 2025 | Men's Basketball
Cardinals Playing at Wisconsin, Indiana State and Evansville; Hosting Perennial Mid-Major Power South Dakota State
The Ball State men's basketball team and head coach Michael Lewis have announced the non-conference schedule for the 2025-26 season.
The Cardinals will prepare for the slate with an exhibition at Purdue Fort Wayne on Oct. 27 before officially starting the season against Louisiana at home on Monday, Nov. 3 for the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge.
Another home game is set for that Friday (Nov. 7) against Mansfield (Pa.) before Ball State plays at Wisconsin in the road opener on Nov. 11. The Cardinals return home to host Little Rock on Nov. 15 and then hit the road again for a game at Indiana State the following Saturday. The Lafayette Classic the final weekend of November in Easton, Pa., completes the first month of the season for Ball State, who will take on Monmouth, Lafayette and Le Moyne in the three days following Thanksgiving.
Two home games and two road contests make us December's slate for the Cardinals, as South Dakota State (Dec. 9) and Earlham (Dec. 29) are making the trip to Muncie and Evansville (Dec. 3) and Campbell (Dec. 14) host Ball State.
One final non-conference game will take place in February, as matchups for the second MAC-Sun Belt Challenge games are scheduled to be announced in January. It will be a road game for the Cardinals after hosting Louisiana to begin the campaign.
"I'm really excited about our upcoming schedule," Lewis said. "A lot of work and thought went into putting together a schedule that is challenging to prepare us for the grueling MAC season.
"We have the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge to open up here at home against a good Louisiana team. South Dakota State has been one of the top mid-major programs in the country for years. Obviously, a highlight of the schedule is a trip to Madison to compete against a Big Ten school in Wisconsin. We also get to continue the in-state rivalries with Indiana State and Evansville which is exciting for the programs and fans."
The full non-conference schedule can be found below and on the schedule page. The Mid-American Conference schedule and game times will be announced on a later date.
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2025-26 Ball State Men's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Oct. 27 at Fort Wayne (Exhibition)
Nov. 3 vs Louisiana
Nov. 7 vs Mansfield (PA)
Nov. 11 at Wisconsin
Nov. 15 vs Little Rock
Nov. 22 at Indiana State
Nov. 28 vs Monmouth (Easton, Pa.)
Nov. 29 at Lafayette
Nov. 30 vs Le Moyne (Easton, Pa.)
Dec. 3 at Evansville
Dec. 9 vs South Dakota State
Dec. 14 at Campbell
Dec. 29 vs Earlham
February vs. TBD Sun Belt opponent
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The Cardinals will prepare for the slate with an exhibition at Purdue Fort Wayne on Oct. 27 before officially starting the season against Louisiana at home on Monday, Nov. 3 for the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge.
Another home game is set for that Friday (Nov. 7) against Mansfield (Pa.) before Ball State plays at Wisconsin in the road opener on Nov. 11. The Cardinals return home to host Little Rock on Nov. 15 and then hit the road again for a game at Indiana State the following Saturday. The Lafayette Classic the final weekend of November in Easton, Pa., completes the first month of the season for Ball State, who will take on Monmouth, Lafayette and Le Moyne in the three days following Thanksgiving.
Two home games and two road contests make us December's slate for the Cardinals, as South Dakota State (Dec. 9) and Earlham (Dec. 29) are making the trip to Muncie and Evansville (Dec. 3) and Campbell (Dec. 14) host Ball State.
One final non-conference game will take place in February, as matchups for the second MAC-Sun Belt Challenge games are scheduled to be announced in January. It will be a road game for the Cardinals after hosting Louisiana to begin the campaign.
"I'm really excited about our upcoming schedule," Lewis said. "A lot of work and thought went into putting together a schedule that is challenging to prepare us for the grueling MAC season.
"We have the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge to open up here at home against a good Louisiana team. South Dakota State has been one of the top mid-major programs in the country for years. Obviously, a highlight of the schedule is a trip to Madison to compete against a Big Ten school in Wisconsin. We also get to continue the in-state rivalries with Indiana State and Evansville which is exciting for the programs and fans."
The full non-conference schedule can be found below and on the schedule page. The Mid-American Conference schedule and game times will be announced on a later date.
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2025-26 Ball State Men's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Oct. 27 at Fort Wayne (Exhibition)
Nov. 3 vs Louisiana
Nov. 7 vs Mansfield (PA)
Nov. 11 at Wisconsin
Nov. 15 vs Little Rock
Nov. 22 at Indiana State
Nov. 28 vs Monmouth (Easton, Pa.)
Nov. 29 at Lafayette
Nov. 30 vs Le Moyne (Easton, Pa.)
Dec. 3 at Evansville
Dec. 9 vs South Dakota State
Dec. 14 at Campbell
Dec. 29 vs Earlham
February vs. TBD Sun Belt opponent
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