2011-2012 Ball State Cardinals Basketball Preview

Ball State Cardinals - Mid-American Conference (MAC)

2010-11: 19-13, 10-6

2010-11 postseason: none

Coach: Billy Taylor (54-69 at Ball State, 135-138 overall)  

Ball State finished second in the MAC West last year and it should be a two horse race again between the Cardinals and Western Michigan. However, the power in the Mid-American Conference is still in the East and it will take a surprising effort for Ball State to surpass some of the more traditional powers in the conference. One reason for optimism is Randy Davis. The 5-11 senior has turned into one of the better point guards in the MAC and finished last season averaging 5.0 assists and 2.7 turnovers. He is also a solid scorer who can attack the basket and relatively consistently knock down the long ball.

Who’s Out:

The only significant loss is forward Malik Perry. His absence will not hurt too much in the scoring column, but it does leave the Cardinals with a hole at the small forward position. Perry was never a threat to shoot from outside, but he did average 6.4 points per game and ranked second on the team with 5.5 rebounds per contest. Ball State can now either play small and suffer on the boards, or play big and lack depth up front. The decision may well depend on the competition, but it will also depend on whether or not the newcomers are ready to play some quality minutes.

Who’s In:

Tyler Koch, a transfer from Wright State, could step right into Perry’s old spot. He rarely played at Wright State as a freshman mostly due to injuries, but it is unlikely that he can work his way into a starting role this year. Zeke Chapman is too small to fill that role as well, but he could emerge as a quality scorer by the time his collegiate days are over at Ball State. It is Aaron Adeoye, a 6-6, 230 pound freshman, that fits best into what this Ball State team needs. He can spend some time at the three or four spot and that would go a long way in helping the team’s frontcourt depth and options on both ends of the floor.

Final Projection:

With Davis feeding the ball into Jones, Ball State just needs a couple scorers in the backcourt to make a serious run at a MAC title. Jauwan Scaife and Jesse Berry are the two most effective options. Scaife is a 6-2 junior who can hit the outside shot and do a decent job of attacking the basket. Berry had a fine freshman campaign and proved to be a capable scorer. The problem is neither of those two are quality rebounders and that will cause a problem. Tyrae Robinson and Pierre Sneed are a little better on the glass, but are not as effective of scorers as Scaife and Berry. That leaves Coach Billy Taylor with a few issues to work out, but there are plenty of options and as long as Davis and Jones continue to play well, there is no reason Ball State should not win the West.

Projected Postseason Tournament: CBI/CIT

Projected Starting Five:

• Randy Davis, Senior, Guard, 9.8 points per game

• Jesse Berry, Sophomore, Guard, 8.9 points per game

• Jauwan Scaife, Junior, Guard, 11.2 points per game

• Matt Kamieniecki, Sophomore, Forward, 2.9 points per game

• Jarrod Jones, Senior, Forward, 14.7 points per game

By Joel Welser courtesy of www.CollegeSportsMadness.com
CollegeSports-fans.com Senior Basketball Writer

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