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2024–25 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball team

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2024–25 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record5–6 (0–0 MAC)
Head coach
Associate head coachLou Gudino (3rd season)
Assistant coaches
  • Ben Botts (7th season)
  • Justin Brown (1st season)
  • Buzzy Caruthers (1st season)
Home arenaWorthen Arena
Seasons
2025–26 →
2024–25 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Kent State 0 0   8 3   .727
Akron 0 0   7 4   .636
Miami (OH) 0 0   7 4   .636
Eastern Michigan 0 0   6 5   .545
Toledo 0 0   6 5   .545
Ball State 0 0   5 6   .455
Buffalo 0 0   5 6   .455
Central Michigan 0 0   5 6   .455
Ohio 0 0   5 6   .455
Bowling Green 0 0   5 7   .417
Northern Illinois 0 0   3 8   .273
Western Michigan 0 0   3 8   .273
2025 MAC tournament winner
As of December 23, 2024

The 2024–25 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball team represents Ball State University during the 2024–25 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals, led by third-year head coach Michael Lewis, play their home games at Worthen Arena in Muncie, Indiana as members of the Mid-American Conference.

Previous season

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The Cardinals finished the 2023–24 season 15–16, 7–11 in MAC play, to finish in ninth place.[1] They failed to qualify for the MAC tournament, as only the top eight teams qualify.[2]

Offseason

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Departures

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Departures
Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Reason for departure
Jalin Anderson 1 G 6'3" 190 Junior Jackson, Tennessee Transferred to Incarnate Word
Micah Bell 4 G 6'3" 168 RS Freshman Austell, Georgia Transferred to South Plains College
Davion Bailey 5 G 6'4" 200 Junior Indianapolis, Indiana Transferred to Incarnate Word
Basheer Jihad 11 F 6'9" 239 Junior Detroit, Michigan Transferred to Arizona State
Trent Middleton Jr. 13 G 6'3" 177 Freshman Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Transferred to Delaware
Jack Futa 14 G 6'5" 189 Sophomore South Bend, Indiana Transferred to Aquinas College
Quincy Adams 15 G 6'5" 172 RS Freshman Frisco, Texas Transferred to Western New Mexico
Joey Brown 23 G 6'5" 184 Freshman Indianapolis, Indiana Transferred to Tyler Junior College

Incoming transfers

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Incoming transfers
Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous school
Jermahri Hill 1 G 6'5" 185 Junior Bessemer, Alabama South Plains College
Juanse Gorosito 4 G 6'1" 190 Junior Ceres Santa Fe, Argentina Portland
Payton Sparks 5 C 6'10" 265 Senior Winchester, Indiana Indiana
Joey Hart 20 G 6'5" 195 Sophomore Linton, Indiana Kentucky
Jeremiah Hernandez 33 G 6'5" 192 Graduate student Chicago, Illinois Southern Indiana

Recruiting class

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College recruiting information
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Jai Anthoni Bearden
F
Phoenix, Arizona Sunnyslope High School 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 185 lb (84 kg)  
Star ratings: RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPNN/A   ESPN grade: N/A
Kody Clancy
G
Scottsburg, Indiana Scottsburg High School 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 191 lb (87 kg)  
Star ratings: RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPNN/A   ESPN grade: N/A
TJ Burch
G
Dallas, Texas Texas Alliance of Christian Athletes 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg)  
Star ratings: RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPNN/A   ESPN grade: N/A
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2024 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

Preseason

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On October 22, 2024 the MAC released the preseason coaches poll. Ball State was picked to finish seventh in the MAC regular season.[3]

Preseason rankings

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MAC preseason poll
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Ohio 121 (11)
2 Akron 106 (1)
3 Kent State 99
4 Toledo 95
5 Bowling Green 73
6 Miami (OH) 72
7 Ball State 67
8 Central Michigan 55
9 Eastern Michigan 36
10 Western Michigan 33
11 Northern Illinois 24
12 Buffalo 11

MAC Tournament Champions: Ohio (8), Kent State (3), Toledo (1)

Source[3]

Preseason All-MAC

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Preseason All-MAC teams
Team Player Position Year
1st Payton Sparks Center Senior

Source[3]

Roster

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2024–25 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G 1 Jermahri Hill 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Jr South Plains College Bessemer, Alabama
G 2 Ethan Brittain-Watts 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 205 lb (93 kg) GS Boston University Indianapolis, Indiana
F 3 Mickey Pearson Jr. 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) RS Sr TCU Lincoln, Alabama
G 4 Juanse Gorosito 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Jr Portland Ceres Santa Fe, Argentina
C 5 Payton Sparks 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 265 lb (120 kg) Sr Indiana Winchester, Indiana
F 10 Jai Anthoni Bearden 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Fr Sunnyslope High School Phoenix, Arizona
G 11 Kody Clancy 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 191 lb (87 kg) Fr Scottsburg High School Scottsburg, Indiana
G 12 Jurica Zagorsak 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 235 lb (107 kg) So Gimnazija Jurja Barakovica Zadar, Croatia
G 20 Joey Hart 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) So Kentucky Linton, Indiana
G 22 TJ Burch 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Fr Texas Alliance of Christian Athletes Dallas, Texas
F 24 Mason Jones 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 229 lb (104 kg) So Valparaiso High School Valparaiso, Indiana
G 33 Jeremiah Hernandez 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 192 lb (87 kg) GS Southern Indiana Chicago, Illinois
C 34 Ben Hendriks 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 248 lb (112 kg) RS Sr Orangeville Prep Mississauga, Ontario
C 54 Zane Doughty 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 242 lb (110 kg) So Ben Davis High School Indianapolis, Indiana
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: November 14, 2024

Schedule and results

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Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Non-conference regular season
November 4, 2024*
7:00 pm, ESPN+
at Georgia State
MAC-SBC Challenge
L 66–71  0–1
 17  Hill   13  Pearson Jr.   4  Sparks  GSU Convocation Center (532)
Atlanta, GA
November 8, 2024*
5:00 pm, ESPN+
Franklin W 87–60  1–1
 17  Tied   8  Pearson Jr.   6  Brittain-Watts  Worthen Arena (4,018)
Muncie, IN
November 13, 2024*
7:00 pm, ESPN+
at Dayton L 69–77  1–2
 25  Hill   7  Hill   3  Hill  UD Arena (13,407)
Dayton, OH
November 16, 2024*
2:00 pm, ESPN+
Indiana State L 84–94  1–3
 16  Sparks   7  Sparks   4  Brittain-Watts  Worthen Arena (4,021)
Muncie, IN
November 20, 2024*
7:00 pm, ESPN+
Detroit Mercy L 59–70  1–4
 12  Tied   11  Pearson Jr.   3  Tied  Worthen Arena (2,784)
Muncie, IN
November 25, 2024*
12:00 pm, FloHoops
vs. Eastern Kentucky
Gulf Coast Showcase
W 63–61  2–4
 18  Hill   7  Hill   4  Hill  Hertz Arena (542)
Estero, FL
November 26, 2024*
6:00 pm, FloHoops
vs. Florida Tech
Gulf Coast Showcase
W 94–57  3–4
 24  Hill   8  Pearson Jr.   5  Hill  Hertz Arena (289)
Estero, FL
November 27, 2024*
6:00 pm, FloHoops
vs. Richmond
Gulf Coast Showcase
L 60–73  3–5
 22  Hill   6  Sparks   2  Tied  Hertz Arena (311)
Estero, FL
December 8, 2024*
2:00 pm, ESPN+
at SIU Edwardsville L 69–82  3–6
 17  Gorosito   6  Hendriks   3  Tied  First Community Arena (1,015)
Edwardsville, IL
December 14, 2024*
3:00 pm, ESPN+
at Bellarmine W 86–82  4–6
 21  Gorosito   4  Tied   4  Tied  Knights Hall (1,572)
Louisville, KY
December 21, 2024*
2:00 pm, ESPN+
Evansville W 80–43  5–6
 20  Sparks   8  Hill   3  Tied  Worthen Arena (3,521)
Muncie, IN
December 31, 2024*
2:00 pm, ESPN+
Anderson       Worthen Arena 
Muncie, IN
MAC regular season
January 4, 2025
1:00 pm, ESPN+
at Kent State       MAC Center 
Kent, OH
January 7, 2025
7:00 pm, ESPN+
Miami (OH)       Worthen Arena 
Muncie, IN
January 11, 2025
2:00 pm, ESPN+
Bowling Green       Worthen Arena 
Muncie, IN
January 14, 2025
7:00 pm, ESPN+
at Ohio       Convocation Center 
Athens, OH
January 18, 2025
2:00 pm, ESPN+
Toledo       Worthen Arena 
Muncie, IN
January 21, 2025
7:00 pm, ESPN+
at Central Michigan       McGuirk Arena 
Mount Pleasant, MI
January 25, 2025
4:30 pm, ESPN+
at Northern Illinois       Convocation Center 
DeKalb, IL
January 28, 2025
7:00 pm, ESPN+
Western Michigan       Worthen Arena 
Muncie, IN
February 1, 2025
5:00 pm, ESPN+
at Buffalo       Alumni Arena 
Amherst, NY
February 4, 2025
7:00 pm, ESPN+
at Akron       James A. Rhodes Arena 
Akron, OH
February 11, 2025
7:00 pm, ESPN+
Eastern Michigan       Worthen Arena 
Muncie, IN
February 15, 2025
2:00 pm, ESPN+
Northern Illinois       Worthen Arena 
Muncie, IN
February 18, 2025
7:00 pm, ESPN+
at Toledo       Savage Arena 
Toledo, OH
February 22, 2025
2:00 pm, ESPN+
Buffalo       Worthen Arena 
Muncie, IN
February 25, 2025
7:00 pm, ESPN+
Akron       Worthen Arena 
Muncie, IN
March 1, 2025
2:00 pm, ESPN+
at Bowling Green       Stroh Center 
Bowling Green, OH
March 4, 2025
7:00 pm, ESPN+
Central Michigan       Worthen Arena 
Muncie, IN
March 7, 2025
6:00 pm, ESPN+
at Miami (OH)       Millett Hall 
Oxford, OH
MAC tournament
March 13–15, 2025
 ESPN+/CBSSN/ESPN2
vs.        Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse 
Cleveland, OH
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern.

Sources:[4][5]

References

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