To Ball State's Dennis Trammell, the start of practice in October for the 2004-05 campaign just seemed to mark a continuation of the previous season.
"It felt like we never stopped from last year," the senior guard and last season's leading scorer said. "The chemistry was there and everything was fluent."
With just two seniors lost, two transfers becoming eligible and two freshman joining the program, turnover in the BSU locker room was minor. It's a deeper, more-seasoned Cardinals team that will take the floor this year, looking to reverse a two-year trend of losing seasons (13-16 and 14-15) and get back atop the Mid-American Conference West Division.
"We were young last year," sophomore Peyton Stovall said. "I think we learned a lot and have been through situations. I feel we're very experienced."
"It feels like it's the same team," senior guard Matt McCollom, a four-year starter, said. "It feels like we've never left."
McCollom and Trammell are two of the four seniors on Tim Buckley's fifth BSU team. Terrance Chapman started 15 of 29 games at forward, while Michael Bennett is a reserve forward.
With chemistry, experience and increased defensive intensity, the Cardinals look to avoid the close losses (five by four points or less) that hindered them last season.
"Defense and rebounding -- those are the ways you're going to win," McCollom said. "The games we lost last year, it's because we didn't do those well enough. At this level you can't just outscore people."
BACKCOURT
Trammell was a hit in his first season after transferring from New Mexico State. He started every game he played (missing one due to sickness) and led Ball State in scoring with 13.2 points per game. Trammell also averaged four rebounds and shot 45 percent.
McCollom returns to the opposite wing after averaging 9.6 ppg and making nearly 40 percent of his 3-pointers and 83 percent of his free throws.
Completing starting backcourt trio is Stovall, who turned in 7.2 points and 3.8 assists and played better as the year went on. In conference play, the MAC All-Freshman honoree averaged 8.8 points while sinking 45 percent of his 3-pointers.
Depth is solid, with junior Jesse McClung (2.5 ppg) backing up Stovall, sophomore Skip Mills (4.7 ppg) on the wing and classmate Darren Yates, who was academically ineligible for the second semester last year, returning.
"We feel we're really experienced outside; we have a lot of guards coming back," Trammell said. "Everyday, guys came to the gym and were shooting."
Buckley also believes the team has improved its shooting tremendously, and said the depth in the backcourt will allow the Cardinals to push the tempo more than the last two years.
"It's going to be more like three years ago, in terms of getting up and down the court," he said. "It's been unfortunate the last two years, with the injuries."
FRONTCOURT
The inside will feature a number of new faces this year, mixed with some battle-hardened veterans.
Chapman, who averaged 7.8 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game, will be the anchor of the frontcourt.
Bennett also returns as a reserve forward. The 6-5 Bennett played in 26 games last season, averaging 8.5 minutes a game. His versatility has allowed him to be an effective role player for Buckley.
The inside will also feature juniors Charles Bass (6-foot-9), Anthony Kent (7-foot) and Tom Howland (6-10, 2.5 ppg). Bass and Kent are transfers, and Howland battled knee ailments last season.
"I think we've got guys that can block shots, distract guys and go get rebounds," Buckley said. "It's nice to have some depth up front.
"We can play inside-out, not just off the dribble, with feeding the post. I think they can score off the block."
Freshmen Landon Adler (6-9) and 6-5 swingman Anthony Newell add depth and should contribute.
"It helps a lot to have size down there," Trammell said. "It helps us on the boards, rebounding, it helps us extend our defense, pressure the ball a little bit. And then we have big guys who can block shots and stuff like that."
SCHEDULE
Three years ago it was Kansas in the Maui Invitational. Last season Xavier, who made the Elite Eight. Now, the Cardinals open the campaign by facing perennial power Kentucky on Nov. 23 at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Like three years ago, Buckley's team has the single-minded focus of upsetting the Wildcats.
"Everything in practice has been Kentucky this, Kentucky's not going to lay down," Trammell said.
Although regular MAC play doesn't begin until Jan. 2, the Cards do visit Miami on Dec. 4.
This year's edition of the heated rivalry with Butler, at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Dec. 22, and a meeting with Indiana at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Dec. 28, also highlight the non-conference slate.
Ball State was picked to finish second in the West Division (behind Toledo) in preseason poll by the MAC News Media Association.
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