Wikipedia

1989–90 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball team

The 1989–90 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball team represented Ball State University as a member of the Mid-American Conference during the 1989–90 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. After the departure of head coach Rick Majerus, Ball State responded under new coach Dick Hunsaker by having the best season in the school's history. This group of Cardinals became the first team in the Mid-American Conference history to win two consecutive MAC regular season conference championships as well as back-to-back conference tournament titles. The 1990 Ball State basketball team also became the first team in the MAC to reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in its current format. The Cardinals lost in the Sweet 16 to the eventual national champions UNLV Runnin' Rebels, 69–67.[1]

1989–90 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball
MAC regular season champions
MAC tournament champions
NCAA tournament, Sweet Sixteen
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record26–7 (13–3 MAC)
Head coach
Assistant coachLeonard Drake
MVPParis McCurdy
Home arenaIrving Gymnasium
Seasons
1989–90 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Ball State† 13 – 3   .813 26 – 7   .788
Kent State 12 – 4   .750 21 – 8   .724
Miami 9 – 7   .563 14 – 15   .483
Bowling Green 9 – 7   .563 18 – 11   .621
Eastern Michigan 8 – 8   .500 19 – 13   .594
Toledo 7 – 9   .438 12 – 16   .429
Central Michigan 6 – 10   .375 13 – 17   .433
Ohio 5 – 11   .313 12 – 16   .429
Western Michigan 3 – 13   .188 9 – 18   .333
† 1990 MAC tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll

The team was led by many transfer players and two of Coach Hunsaker’s key transfers, starting forwards Paris McCurdy and Curtis Kidd, were high school teammates.[2] They both signed to play their college ball at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. However, because of disciplinary reasons, the two had to find a new school. Former coach Rick Majerus gave them a second chance, and they came through. The two became the key assets to Ball States Sweet 16 run.[3]

The Cardinals finished the regular season at 24-6 before heading to the NCAA tournament. The Cardinals were a 12 seed and began the tournament at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. They upset the Oregon State Beavers in what was star point guard Gary Payton’s last game in college.[4] They won the game when McCurdy made a three-point play with no time left.[5] Ball State then had to play the Louisville Cardinals next. They ended up defeating Louisville late in the game by a final score of 62–60. Meanwhile, in Muncie, fans stormed the village (the center of Ball State's off campus social scene) after the win. Ball State advanced to face the top-seeded UNLV Runnin' Rebels. Ball State shut down one of the best offenses in college basketball history and had a chance to win it in the final seconds.[6] Down by two, the Cards made a deep pass to tie or take the lead but it was picked off.[7]

Roster

edit
1989–90 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
F 42 Paris McCurdy (C) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Sr Cooley Detroit, MI
F 4 Chandler Thompson 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 220 lb (100 kg) So Muncie Central[8] Muncie, IN
C 44 Curtis Kidd (C) 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Sr Cooley Detroit, MI
G 30 Billy Butts 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Sr Muncie Northside Muncie, IN
G 34 Emanuel Cross 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Jr Westinghouse Chicago, IL
F 31 Greg Miller 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Sr Yorktown Yorktown, IN
F 33 Shawn Parrish 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Sr Vincennes University[9]
Owen Valley 		Spencer, IN
C 32 Roman Muller 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Sr Wisconsin Dells[10] Wisconsin Dells, WI
G 22 Mike Spicer 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) 180 lb (82 kg) So Central Grand Rapids, MI
G 35 Dave Barber 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Sr Daleville Muncie, IN
G 20 Scott Nichols 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Sr St. Martin Deporres Detroit, IN
G 25 Rodney Haynes 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Sr Chrysler New Castle, IN
G 11 Mike Giunta 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) So Carmel, IN
G 23 Keith Stalling 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Jr Dunbar Chicago IL
G Mark Hardwick 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Fr Jay County Dunkirk, IN
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Larry Eustachy
Leonard Drake
Ron Hecklinski (part time)

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

Roster

Schedule and results

edit
Date
time, TV 		Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site
city, state
Non-conference regular season
Nov 24, 1989*
 at Purdue L 43–57  0–1
 Mackey Arena 
West Lafayette, IN
Nov 28, 1989*
 Saginaw Valley State W 66–45  1–1
  
 
Dec 1, 1989*
 Hardin-Simmons W 98–70  2–1
 Irving Gymnasium 
Muncie, IN
Dec 2, 1989*
 Coppin State W 71–66  3–1
 Irving Gymnasium 
Muncie, IN
Dec 5, 1989*
 at Indiana State L 48–49  3–2
 Hulman Center 
Terre Haute, IN
Dec 13, 1989*
 at Valparaiso W 79–72  4–2
 Athletics–Recreation Center 
Valparaiso, IN
Dec 21, 1989*
 Cardinal Stritch W 116–52  5–2
  
 
Dec 23, 1989*
 at Butler W 63–42  6–2
 Irving Gymnasium 
Muncie, IN
Dec 29, 1989*
 vs. Memphis State
Old Style Classic 		L 73–76 OT 6–3
  
Chicago, IL
Dec 30, 1989*
 vs. Grambling
Old Style Classic 		W 79–56  7–3
  
Chicago, IL
MAC regular season
Jan 3, 1990
 at Central Michigan W 83–60  8–3
(1–0) 		Rose Arena 
Mount Pleasant, MI
Jan 6, 1990
 Bowling Green W 71–65  9–3
(2–0) 		Irving Gymnasium 
Muncie, IN
Jan 10, 1990
 at Eastern Michigan W 85–67  10–3
(3–0) 		Bowen Field House 
Ypsilanti, MI
Jan 13, 1990*
 Florida International W 105–50  11–3
 Irving Gymnasium 
Muncie, IN
Jan 17, 1990
 at Kent L 68–71  11–4
(3–1) 		Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center 
Kent, OH
Jan 20, 1990
 Toledo W 59–54  12–4
(4–1) 		Irving Gymnasium 
Muncie, IN
Jan 24, 1990
 Miami University W 71–64  13–4
(5–1) 		Irving Gymnasium 
Muncie, IN
Jan 27, 1990
 at Western Michigan W 65–38  14–4
(6–1) 		University Arena 
Kalamazoo, MI
Jan 31, 1990
 Ohio W 77–61  15–4
(7–1) 		Irving Gymnasium 
Muncie, IN
Feb 3, 1990
 at Bowling Green W 45–44  16–4
(8–1) 		Anderson Arena 
Bowling Green, OH
Feb 7, 1990
 Eastern Michigan L 57–58  16–5
(8–2) 		Irving Gymnasium 
Muncie, IN
Feb 14, 1990
 Kent W 77–50  17–5
(9–2) 		Irving Gymnasium 
Muncie, IN
Feb 17, 1990
 at Toledo L 47–68  17–6
(9–3) 		John F. Savage Hall 
Toledo, OH
Feb 21, 1990
 at Miami University W 79–73  18–6
(10–3) 		Millett Hall 
Oxford, OH
Feb 24, 1990
 Western Michigan W 77–54  19–6
(11–3) 		Irving Gymnasium 
Muncie, IN
Feb 28, 1990
 at Ohio W 77–60  20–6
(12–3) 		Convocation Center 
Athens, OH
Mar 3, 1990
 Central Michigan W 84–57  21–6
(13–3) 		Irving Gymnasium 
Muncie, IN
MAC tournament
Mar 9, 1990
 (1) vs. (8) Ohio
Quarterfinals 		W 77–70  22–6
 Cobo Arena 
Detroit, MI
Mar 10, 1990
 (1) vs. (5) Eastern Michigan
Semifinals 		W 69–58  23–6
 Cobo Arena 
Detroit, MI
Mar 11, 1990
 (1) vs. (7) Central Michigan
Championship 		W 78–56  24–6
 Cobo Arena 
Detroit, MI
NCAA tournament
Mar 15, 1990
 (12 W) vs. (5 W) No. 22 Oregon State
First Round 		W 54–53  25–6
 Jon M. Huntsman Center (10,020[5])
Salt Lake City, UT
Mar 17, 1990
 (12 W) vs. (4 W) No. 16 Louisville
Second Round 		W 62–60  26–6
 Jon M. Huntsman Center 
Salt Lake City, UT
Mar 23, 1990
 (12 W) vs. (1 W) No. 2 UNLV
Sweet Sixteen 		L 67–69  26–7
 Oakland—Alameda County Coliseum Arena 
Oakland, CA
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time Source[11].

References

edit
  1. ^ Matthew, Tyson (August 15, 2006). "How Sweet It Was: The Story of Ball States 1990 Sweet 16 Season" (PDF). Ball State Library. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  2. ^ Joe, Juliano (March 18, 1989). "Ball State Coach Leads A Rapid Rise". Archived from the original on September 14, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  3. ^ Rhoden, William (March 15, 1989). "BASKETBALL; Unfamiliar Spotlight for Ball State". New York Times. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  4. ^ Berkowitz, Steve (March 22, 1990). "COMMENTARY : A Cinderella Story for the Sweet 16: Ball State and Coach". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  5. ^ a b Norwood, Robyn. "Ball State KOs Oregon State". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  6. ^ Engel, Mac (March 15, 2011). "The Greatest Dunk You Forgot: #UNLV vs. #BallState in '90 #NCAA Tournament". Sports Blog Star. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  7. ^ "20 Years Ago Ball State Helped Begin Mid-Major Revolution". LanceWilkerson.com. March 25, 2010. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  8. ^ O'Gara, Ryan. "Chandler Thompson returns to coach Central". Muncie Star-Press. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  9. ^ Wheeler, Donovan. "SHAWN PARRISH INTERVIEW: HIS TEAMS MADE HIM GREAT". National Road Magazine. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  10. ^ Hoellen, John. "Big Sleeper is Beginning to Awaken". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  11. ^ "Record Book" (PDF). Ball State Sports. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1989–90_Ball_State_Cardinals_men%27s_basketball_team&oldid=1254582405"