THE GOOD NEWS
Ball State returns everybody on its roster but one player. That will be important since the returnees will have a solid grasp on how coach Billy Taylor wants them to play during his second season on the bench. The Cardinals proved to be a scrappy outfit that didn't get blown out in many games, so if they make small improvements in several areas, they might not be as far from a winning season as most observers would think.

THE BAD NEWS
The lone senior the Cardinals lose is guard Peyton Stovall, and he'll be a major loss next season. He was the steadying force for the team, and was the glue that held the guard corps together. Leaders must emerge in his absence. The two oldest players who should step into those roles are F Anthony Newell and G Brandon Lampley. Newell is more a leader by example, and Lampley is an experienced walk-on who isn't vocal.

KEY RETURNEES
Newell can be a building block for the Cardinals. He'll likely be a preseason All-MAC West selection after leading the Cardinals this season in scoring (16.9) and rebounding (8.0). F Malik Perry, a one-time Iowa recruit, started every game this year as a freshman and showed flashes of quality play.

ROSTER REPORT

--Because Ball State had no scholarship player taller than 6-foot-5, SF Malik Perry and SG Rob Giles had to play in the post. The Cardinals have recruited at least two legitimate inside players for next season, so Perry and Giles should be able to return to their natural positions.

--All seven returning scholarship players were not recruited by coach Billy Taylor, so a departure or two could occur. The most likely would seem to be freshman G Deontay Twyman. He sat on the bench most of the final 17 games of the season. The only time he played at all in the final 15 games was to make long inbounds passes in the closing seconds on two occasions.

--G Melvin Goins will have to re-evaluate his playing style during the offseason. He lost his starting job in the final three games this season as his shooting and decision-making skills slipped.

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