TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State men's basketball heads to Muncie, Ind. and Worthen Arena as the Sycamores travel to take on Ball State on Friday, November 6. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
 
Recapping Last Game
Karmani Gregory and Duce Paschal combined for 27 second-half points for Indiana State in their 2026-27 season debut, but the Sycamores were unable to answer a late Charlotte three-point barrage on opening night inside the Hulman Center in Monday evening's 78-70 loss to the 49ers.
 
Trailing 50-43 following an Arden Conyers three-pointer after a Sycamore turnover, Maguire Mitchell jumpstarted the Indiana State offense with a three-pointer at the 12:05 mark to cut the deficit down to four points. Dorian Finister connected on a layup on Charlotte's next trip down the court to make it a six-point game, before Paschal drove the lane for back-to-back baskets to cut the deficit down to 52-50 with 9:37 to play.
 
Gregory added a layup to keep it a two-point game at 54-52 and Paschal added a trio of free throws to keep the game within one possession at 56-55 with 7:00 to play. The momentum stayed with the Sycamores as Paschal stripped the ball from Keyshuan Tillery and passed ahead to Gregory for the short jumper at the 6:27 mark to give the Sycamores the 57-56 lead.
 
Tillery immediately swung the advantage back to Charlotte on the ensuing possession with an assist on Frank Oguche's three-pointer, before draining back-to-back threes to put the 49ers back ahead 65-57. The Sycamores battled back throughout the remainder of the contest, but another Tillery three-pointer at the 2:53 mark put the score at 72-65. Finister hit the biggest shot of the night with a three-pointer from the left wing with 1:03 remaining to seal the game and secure the eventual 78-70 win.
 
Karmani Gregory finished the contest with an Indiana State-high 29 points and eight assists, shooting 11-of-22 from the floor, while adding three rebounds. Mitchell added 15 points, including a trio of three-pointers, while Paschal scored nine points and had a team-high five rebounds off the bench. Jackson Cooper added eight points and two assists on the floor.
 
20-Point Indiana State Debuts
Karmani Gregory continued a recent trend for Indiana State players making their Sycamore debut as the senior guard scored a game-high 29 points against Charlotte on November 2 inside the Hulman Center. The 29-point game tied a collegiate career-high set back on February 7, 2026, against Charleston Southern while the Palmetto, Fla. native played for USC Upstate.
Gregory's 29-point game in the season opener marked the fourth consecutive season an Indiana State player scored 20 or more points in their inaugural game with the Sycamores dating back to the start of the 2023-24 season.
 
Last Four Seasons with 20+ Point Debuts

• Nov. 2, 2026 – Karmani Gregory (29 points vs. Charlotte)
• Nov. 3, 2025 – Ian Scott (24 points at Charlotte)
• Nov. 4, 2024 – Samage Teel (21 points vs. Florida Atlantic)
• Nov. 6, 2023 – Isaiah Swope (26 points vs. SMWC), Ryan Conwell (25 points vs. SMWC) 

Attacking the Paint
Indiana State men's basketball took the ball inside the paint to open up the 2026-27 season with the Sycamores outscoring the 49ers 36-26 in the lane on Monday night. The 10-point advantage was a part of the Sycamores' efforts inside the three-point line as Indiana State shot 21-of-41 (51.2%) on two-pointers through the first game of the year.
 
The points inside the paint category marked the second consecutive game the Sycamores topped their opponent in the category after outscoring Rose-Hulman 42-22 in the exhibition game. Over the first game of the regular season, the Sycamores are 31st in the NCAA Division I in percentage of points scored inside the three-point line at 60.0% overall.
 
Don't Turn It Over
One note from Indiana State's season-opening game against Charlotte was turnovers, or lack thereof. The Sycamores turned the ball over twice in the first 90 seconds of the game, and then just five times over the final 38:30 of the contest on their way to holding possession against the 49ers. Indiana State did not turn the ball over the final 10:49 in the game, with their final two turnovers coming on offensive fouls that gave Charlotte possession.
 
Fewest Turnovers Per Game (NCAA Division I)

• 5.0 – Syracuse
• 6.0 – Evansville, Southern Utah, Western Kentucky
• 7.0 – Bradley, Eastern Michigan, Florida State, Illinois, Indiana State, Kent State, Louisiana, Samford, UC Riverside, UCLA, UTEP

Debut Game to Remember
Karmani Gregory has already made his mark on the program and currently sits among the nation's best in multiple scoring categories following his 29-point, 8-assist performance against Charlotte on November 2. Gregory is currently listed among the NCAA's Top 20 in six different individual statistical categories on the season.
 
Gregory Among NCAA Top 20

• 3rd – Field Goal Attempts (22)
• 8th – Field Goals Made (11)
• 13th – Points (29.0)
• 13th – Points Per Game (29.0)
• 15th – Assists (8)
• 15th – Assists Per Game (8.0) 

About the Opponent
Ball State was selected 11th overall in the Mid-American Conference's preseason men's basketball poll as announced by the organization in late October. The Cardinals received 40 total points in the poll heading into their first season under head coach Chris Capko. Capko previously coached at SMU and USC prior taking over the role.
 
The Cardinals roster features two returners to the roster from the 2025-26 season with guard Joey Hart and forward Mason Jones the lone holdovers from the previous season. Hart lined up in four games, earning three starts on the court while averaging 9.0 points per game. Jones lined up in 31 games with 30 starts, averaging 31.0 minutes per game and 4.2 points per game, while posting 4.4 rebounds per contest.
 
Ball State's roster features 10 transfers from the roster including three Power 4 newcomers in Purdue's Aaron Finel, Texas Tech's Jazz Henderson Jr., and Vanderbilt's Kijani Wright.
 
Javion Guy-King was Ball State's scoring leader through the first game of the 2026-27 season as the Cardinals fell on the road at Georgia Southern in the MAC-SBC Challenge, 67-55. Guy-King finished with a team-high 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including 2-of-5 from the three-point line. Mason Jones had a team-high 13 rebounds, while K'jei Parker finished with five points (2-13 FG), and seven rebounds.
 
Last Season Against the Cardinals
Indiana State secured the 70-52 win over Ball State last season inside the Hulman Center behind 15-point performances from both Markus Harding and Jo Van Buggenhout, while Ian Scott and Bruno Alocen were both in double-digits for the Sycamores in the non-conference victory.
 
Indiana State went on a 27-7 run over Ball State following the consecutive three-pointers from Van Buggenhout and Alocen in the second half to go from a 34-31 deficit to a 58-41 lead. Indiana State made 10-of-13 from the field (76.9%) and 3-of-4 (75.0%) from downrange during the scoring stretch. 
 
The Sycamores powered their way to the win from both inside the paint and off the bench with 38 points inside the lane, while Van Buggenhout (15), Alocen (10), and Enel St. Bernard (8) all led the bench scoring.
 
All-Time Against Ball State
Friday night's game marks the 142nd time in program history the Sycamores and the Cardinals will take the court against each other. Indiana State holds the all-time series lead, 78-63. The series dates back to the inaugural contest back on March 1, 1919, when Indiana State topped Ball State, 53-21, in Muncie.
 
The series has featured an annual game between Indiana State and Ball State every year since 2009-10. The 2008-09 season is the only season the Sycamores and Cardinals have not faced each other since 1947-48.
 
Last Five Against Ball State

• Nov. 27, 2021 - at Ball State (L, 97-75)
• Nov. 12, 2022 - vs. Ball State (W, 83-71)
• Dec. 16, 2023 - vs. Ball State (N) (W, 83-72)
• Nov. 16, 2024 - at Ball State (W, 94-84)
• Nov. 22, 2025 - vs. Ball State (W, 70-52) 

Against the Mid-American Conference
Indiana State has lined up against 10 of the 12 current members of the Mid-American Conference and has posted winning recorded against seven of them according to current Sycamore records on hand. The Sycamores last took on a member of the MAC last season when they topped Ball State in Terre Haute, 70-52, over Nov. 22, 2025.
 
The Sycamores have winning records over Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Toledo, and Western Michigan. Indiana State is .500 all-time against both Akron and Buffalo and has just one losing record to Ohio (0-2) in the current members of the MAC. Indiana State has not lined up against Bowling Green or UMass in program history.
 
Against the MAC (Last Game)

• Akron – 1-1 (Feb. 16, 1972 – L, 66-58)
• Ball State – 78-63 (Nov. 22, 2025 – W, 70-52)
• Buffalo – 2-2 (Nov. 27, 2010 – W, 58-54)
• Central Michigan – 7-4 (Dec. 5, 1977 – W, 93-77)
• Eastern Michigan – 5-2 (Dec. 2, 1989 – W, 68-61)
• Kent State – 4-2 (Dec. 17, 1991 (W, 71-57)
• Miami (Ohio) – 6-3 (Dec. 3, 2022 – W, 88-61)
• Ohio – 0-2 (Nov. 19, 2017 – L, 96-94)
• Toledo – 3-0 (Nov. 24, 2023 – W, 76-74)
• Western Michigan – 12-3 (Nov. 14, 2006 – W, 73-71)

Returning to the Schedule
Indiana State features four returning regular season opponents from the 2025-26 season, as well as their second consecutive year in taking on Butler in a preseason exhibition to highlight the early portion of the schedule. The Sycamores host Charlotte (Nov. 2), Milwaukee (Nov. 11), SIUE (Dec. 2), and Southern Indiana (Dec. 6), while traveling to Ball State (Nov. 6).
 
Indiana State went 4-1 during the 2025-26 regular season against the returning opponents topping SIUE, Ball State, Southern Indiana, and Milwaukee, while falling in the season opener against Charlotte.
 
2025-26

• at Butler – Oct. 29 (L, 105-80)
• at Charlotte – Nov. 3 (L, 92-76)
• Ball State – Nov. 22 (W, 70-52)
• at Milwaukee – Dec. 14 (W, 70-68)
• at SIUE – Nov. 10 (W, 64-55)
• at Southern Indiana – Dec. 7 (W, 77-55) 

2026-27

• at Butler – Oct. 18 (L, 81-74)
• Charlotte – Nov. 2 (L, 78-70)
• at Ball State – Nov. 6 (7 p.m.)
• Milwaukee – Nov. 11 (7 p.m.)
• SIUE – Dec. 2 (7 p.m.)
• Southern Indiana – Dec. 6 (1 p.m.) 

New Look Roster
It's a new-look Indiana State roster on the floor under head coach Matthew Graves as the Sycamore head coach heads into his third season at the helm of the program. The Sycamores returned just redshirt freshman Martin Kaupanger to the floor from the 2025-26 squad, while welcoming nine transfers, five freshmen, and international big man Alessio Calamita to the roster this year.
 
Preseason MVC Poll, Watch List
The Sycamores were not listed among the top six teams receiving votes in the 2026-27 preseason MVC men's basketball poll but did feature two players on the preseason All-Conference Watch List heading into the year.
 
Guard Karmani Gregory and forward Jackson Cooper were among the list of players recognized among the tops in the conference heading into the season and the players represented Indiana State at the two-day media day event held inside the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo. over October 13-14.
 
Gregory is a former All-Conference guard transferring in from USC Upstate where he finished among the Big South's scoring leaders, while adding team-highs in assists (91) and steals (33). Cooper, an All-American forward, transferred in from NAIA Oregon Tech where averaged a team-high 17.7 points per game, while finishing seventh overall in NAIA with 174 total assists.
 
All-Americans on Roster
Indiana State men's basketball added two players that bring All-American status to the program with Jackson Cooper and EJ McQuillan both joining the roster in 2026-27. Cooper earned NAIA Second Team All-American honors following a standout 2025-26 campaign at Oregon Tech where he led the team in scoring (17.7), rebounds per game (7.7), and assists per game (5.8) while finishing seventh in the NAIA with 174 total assists.
 
McQuillan earned NAIA Second Team All-American honors following a standout 2025-26 campaign at LSU Alexandria where he averaged 20.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 38.5% from the three-point line. He highlighted his year by tying the LSUA single-game points record with 41 against Texas Wesleyan on October 31.
 
Season Tickets Remain On Sale, Upper Level-Single Game Tickets Available
Season tickets remain on sale for the entirety of the 2026-27 slate. For more information on season tickets, contact Mason LaGrange, Manager for Sales and Service, by calling 812-237-8972 or emailing mason.lagrange@indstate.edu. Fans can also call 877-ISU-TIXS or email ISU-Tickets@indstate.edu.

Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on Sycamore Basketball, visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from the both the App Store and the Google Play Store.