Men's Basketball 2016-2017
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MEN’S BASKETBALL 2016-2017 BALLSTATESPORTS.COM • @BALLSTATESPORTS • @BALLSTATEMBB TABLE OF QUICK MEDIA NOTES CONTENTS • Ball State was picked second in the Mid-American Conference West Division in the preseason poll of the league’s head coaches and media members. Senior Coaches & Staff forward Franko House was voted to the preseason All- 4 Head Coach James Whitford MAC West Division Team. A second-team All-MAC choice 8 Coaches last season, House was the only player in the league to be 10 Athletics Staff named to an all-conference team and selected to the MAC All-Defensive Team. 2016-17 Cardinals • The Cardinals return seven letterwinners, four starters 12 Roster and six of their top eight scorers from last year’s team that 15 Schedule finished 21-14. Now in its fourth year under head coach James Whitford, BSU will also get a boost from a pair of players who sat out last season as redshirts, transfer point The Facility guard Tayler Persons and freshman forward Tahjai Teague. 16 Worthen Arena • Ball State’s 21 wins last season tied for the seventh-most 20 By The Numbers in school history and were the most since the 2001-02 21 Facility Features season (23). The Cardinals ended the season at No. 150 out of 351 Division I teams in the Ken Pomeroy rankings. It was the program’s best finish since 2004-05 (No. 105). The team History reached as high as No. 127 in the rankings last season. 23 Great Moments 26 Championships • In improving from 7-23 in 2014-15 to 21-14 last season, 28 History Highlights Ball State made the fourth-biggest jump in the country 30 Honors (source: NCAA). 32 Records • Ball State shared the 2016 MAC West Division championship with Central Michigan after being picked Ball State last in the division’s preseason poll. Since the MAC went to 35 The University the divisional format in 1998, Ball State has won or shared 37 Board of Trustees five division titles: 1998 (co), 2000 (co), 2002, 2009 (co) and 38 Athletics COACHING 2016 (co). • Ball State made its first postseason appearance since 2002 when it accepted a bid to the 2016 CollegeInsider. com Postseason Tournament (CIT). The Cardinals scored massive comeback wins in each of the first two rounds before their run came to an end in the quarterfinals with a STAFF 69-67 loss to eventual tournament champion Columbia. WHITFORD • COACHING STAFF • ATHLETICS STAFF HEAD COACH JAMES WHITFORD Whitford laid the foundation for the future at Ball basketball coach in Ball State history on April State during his first two years, installing his system 10, 2013. In his career as an assistant coach at CAREER COACHING and ramping up the Cardinals’ recruiting efforts. Arizona, Xavier and Miami University, his teams His first two Ball State teams were heavy on youth, posted an overall record of 400-208, reached the with the 2014-15 squad ranking among the 25 NCAA tournament 10 times and played in the HIGHLIGHTS youngest in the country. Both teams featured the postseason 13 times. Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year, Alma Mater: Wisconsin ‘94 including Sean Sellers in 2014-15. Whitford served four years on the staff at Arizona, including his final two as the associate head James Whitford enters his fourth season as the best finish since the 2004-05 campaign. The Whitford signed a 2014 freshman class that coach. He was with Arizona head coach Sean Ball State men’s basketball head coach in 2016-17, Cardinals, who were picked last in the MAC included three state champions, a prep school Miller for eight seasons, dating back to Miller’s leading a resurgence in the Cardinals’ program. preseason poll, tied the school record for games national runner up and, for the first time at Ball days guiding the Xavier program. played in a season with 35. Ball State finished last season 21-14 and shared State since 1996, two Indiana All-Stars. Scout.com Whitford helped Arizona to an average of 27 wins the Mid-American Conference West Division Ball State led the MAC in scoring defense (66.8) recruiting analyst Brian Snow said of the group, per season over his final three years in Tucson, championship with a 10-8 league mark. The while ranking second in the league and 40th “Ball State’s 2014 recruiting class is one of the best including a 30-win campaign in 2010-11 that Cardinals earned a berth in the CollegeInsider. nationally in field goal percentage defense mid-major recruiting classes in the country. The featured a Pac-10 Conference championship and com Postseason Tournament (CIT) and reached (.405). Offensively, Ball State hit the second-most future is bright in Muncie.” an appearance in the Elite Eight of the NCAA the quarterfinals. 3-pointers in school history (305) and finished as Whitford has now recruited five former Indiana Tournament. The Wildcats concluded the 2012- the MAC’s top assist team during league play at All-Stars to Ball State -- Sellers, Jeremie Tyler, Tahjai 13 season with a mark of 27-8 (12-6 Pac-12) and It marked Ball State’s first 20-win season and first 14.7 per game. postseason appearance in 14 years. Coming on Teague, Tayler Persons and Kyle Mallers. In the advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. the heels of a seven-win campaign in 2014-15, Whitford came incredibly close to winning MAC decade prior to Whitford’s arrival, the Cardinals Whitford also brought more than a decade of the Cardinals’ turnaround ranked as the fourth- Coach of the Year honors, finishing second to signed a total of three Indiana All-Stars. The 2016- experience with the MAC, having served on the largest of any team in the nation. Akron’s Keith Dambrot. He tied Dambrot with 14 17 season will mark the first time the Ball State staff at Miami University under Herb Sendek and first-place votes but ended up one point behind roster has ever included five Indiana All-Stars. Charlie Coles for 11 seasons before joining Miller Ball State ended the 2015-16 season at No. the Akron coach in total points (111-110). 150 in the Ken Pomeroy rankings, marking its Whitford was introduced as the 19th men’s at Xavier. 04 BALL STATE MBB MEDIA GUIDE 2016-17 BALLSTATESPORTS.COM • @BALLSTATESPORTS • @BALLSTATEMBB 05 2013 TO 2016 • In his fourth season at Ball State after being named the Cardinals’ head coach in April 2013. • Led Ball State to a share of the 2016 MAC West Division championship along with the program’s first 20-win season (21-14) and postseason appearance (CIT) in 14 years. • Coached the Cardinals to the fourth-largest turnaround in the country last season, breaking through in his third year as head coach. • Has signed five Indiana All- Stars to scholarships since becoming head coach, with the 2016-17 team featuring five former All-Stars for the ARIZONA HEAD COACH SEAN MILLER first time in program history. ON JAMES WHITFORD • Joined the Cardinals after four years on the staff at the University of Arizona, including the final two as James Whitford is a winner. He has won associate head coach. championships at every level he has coached • Also had previous assistant … He is the most organized, relentless recruiter I have been around … Muncie is getting an coaching stops at Xavier incredible family-centered person who brings (2005-09) and Miami with him all the qualities of a true leader. In a University (1994-2005). short period, he will lead Ball State basketball • In his career as an assistant to the top of the MAC and into the postseason coach, his teams posted an in a consistent, first-class manner. overall record of 400-208, reached the NCAA tournament 10 times and played in the postseason 13 times. 06 BALL STATE MBB MEDIA GUIDE 2016-17 COACHES AND STAFF JASON DANNY GRUNKEMEYER PETERS ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH ASSISTANT COACH Alma Mater: Miami University Alma Mater: Ohio State University Experience at BSU: 3 years Experience at BSU: 2 years click to read full bio click to read full bio • In his fourth year as a member of the Ball State staff • In his third year at Ball State after being named an after being named an assistant coach in April 2013. assistant coach in June 2014. • A former player at Miami University who also has previ- • Served four years at the University of Arizona, including ous coaching stops at his alma mater (2007-12) and Saint the final two in the role of assistant director of basketball Louis University (2001-07). operations. • Helped Saint Louis to the second round of the NIT in • Oversaw Arizona’s video scouting efforts and was both 2003 and 2004. responsible for the organization, breakdown, scouting and • Part of Saint Louis’ first 20-win season in nine years. presentation of game film. BRIAN WALTER THORNTON OFFUTT ASSISTANT COACH DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Alma Mater: Xavier University Alma Mater: Ohio University Experience at BSU: 2 years Experience at BSU: First year click to read full bio click to read full bio • In his third year at Ball State after being named an • Indianapolis native and former standout at Ohio assistant coach in May 2014. University, where he was an All-MAC selection and a key • A former player at Vanderbilt and Xavier who previously served on coaching staffs at Winthrop member the Bobcats’ 2012 Sweet Sixteen team. (2012-14), Furman (2011-12) and Xavier (2009-11). • Served the previous two years as a graduate manager for • Helped Winthrop to a 20-13 record in 2013-14, the coach John Groce at the University of Illinois.