Pierre Sneed News

Ball State coach Billy Taylor smiled Saturday as he reflected on the effort his players provided in the second half against No.

Sure, an overtime loss to Tennessee Tech stung. But overall, Ball State basketball coach Billy Taylor felt good vibrations as he reflected on the two road games last week.

Ask different people and you get slightly different answers about what the Indiana State men's basketball team has been doing in its nine-day layoff since its last game.

Ball State put forth a better effort in the second half. Coach Billy Taylor opened the second half with only two starters on the court in Jarrod Jones and Brawley Chisholm.

Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack each scored 15 points, as the 23rd-ranked Butler Bulldogs cruised to a 59-38 victory over the Ball State Cardinals in a non-conference battle at John E. Worthen Arena.

Botched layups, bricked free throws and self-induced turnovers proved to be a recurring theme Saturday when Ball State lost 60-58 to UC Davis.

Consistency breeds success, or so the old adage says. If so, then Ball State freshman guard Jauwan Scaife is destined to leave a lasting imprint on the program.

All the empty red seats indicated there were better places to be than Worthen Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Far removed from the New York City street courts where he honed his game, Ball State senior point guard Brawley Chisholm turned in a breakout performance Friday night in the 88-78 victory over Valparaiso.

MUNCIE -- Compton meets Muncie. Sounds like the title to a bad movie script, right? Well, that exact scenario plays out daily in a Ball State dorm where freshmen guards Myron Green Jr.

On one hand, Ball State sophomore forward Jarrod Jones felt honored that the media selected him preseason All-Mid-American Conference.

Billy Taylor held his first press conference for the 2009-10 season on Monday afternoon at Worthen Arena.

Ball State graduated four of the five players that averaged more than 4.1 points per game for last season's MAC West co-champs. In total, the Cardinals no longer have the guys who produced 60.1 percent of their points and played 53.7 percent of their minutes.

Fall classes at Ball State start in 18 days and the men's basketball program already suffered an academic casualty.

Fall classes at Ball State start in 18 days and the men's basketball program already suffered an academic casualty.

Fall classes at Ball State start in 18 days and the men's basketball program already suffered an academic casualty.

Fall classes at Ball State start in 18 days and the men's basketball program already suffered an academic casualty.