1989–90 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball team

1989–90 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball
1989–90 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball
MAC regular season champions; MAC tournament champions
NCAA tournament, Sweet Sixteen
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Record	26–7 (13–3 MAC)
Head coach	Dick Hunsaker (1st season);
Assistant coach	Leonard Drake
MVP	Paris McCurdy
Home arena	Irving Gymnasium
	Seasons ← 1988–89 1990–91 →

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 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings
v t e	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

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

Dick Hunsaker (Weber State)

Assistant coach(es)

Larry Eustachy
Leonard Drake
Ron Hecklinski (part time)

Legend

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

Injured
Current redshirt

Roster

Schedule and results

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 TimeSource^[11].

References

[1]

[2]

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[5]

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[11]

1989–90 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball

MAC regular season champions MAC tournament champions
NCAA tournament, Sweet Sixteen
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Record	26–7 (13–3 MAC)
Head coach	Dick Hunsaker (1st season)
Assistant coach	Leonard Drake
MVP	Paris McCurdy
Home arena	Irving Gymnasium
Seasons ← 1988–89 1990–91 →