BUFFALO, N.Y. - For the third time in four seasons the Ball State University men's basketball team fell in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament last week, capping a season that began full of optimism and ended on a sour note.
Ball State (10-18 overall, 6-12 MAC West) finished with its worst record in 19 years. After being picked in the preseason to finish second in the West Division, the team never met expectations.
The underachieving season may result in a change at the coaching position, which is a decision that could be made this week when Athletic Director Tom Collins meets with sixth-year coach Tim Buckley to discuss the future of the team.
Buckley is under contract for three more seasons and Ball State would have to pay nearly $400,000 to buy out his contract.
After Ball State's 80-72 loss to Buffalo a week ago, Buckley said he looked forward to coaching the Cardinals again next season, particularly with the return of preseason All-MAC selection Peyton Stovall, whose season ended with an ACL tear in the second game of the season.
"In my opinion, we bring back the best player in the Mid-American Conference in Peyton Stovall," Buckley said. "I thought [this] was a great learning year for this basketball team, to come closer together and become a better team. Then add a player like Peyton Stovall back into the mix [next year], and I know Skip [Mills] won't have as heavy a load to carry as he did this year."
Mills, who was expected to be in a supporting role to Stovall this season, was burdened with leading a young team every game. Buckley commented regularly throughout the season that in order for the Cards to have a chance to win, Mills had to play well.
The guard tried to do as much as he could, leading the team in scoring in 18 of 28 games and finishing with a team-high 18.6 points per game scoring average. Mills, who was named to the All-MAC second team, scored back-to-back career highs in the final two games of the season, including 38 points against Buffalo.
With the Cardinals falling behind 16 points by halftime, Ball State put the ball in Mills' hands. He scored 21 of the team's 28 first-half points and led the charge for a second-half comeback that brought the Cards within three points twice during the final four minutes.
Ball State, however, couldn't capitalize on the Bulls' mistakes and Buckley said his players, minus Mills, weren't ready for the post-season.
"Our young people got very caught up in the environment to start the game," Buckley said. "You can tell how [Mills] has grown as a leader throughout the season because although his teammates weren't coming with him in the first half he didn't get frustrated."
With Mills dominating opponents in his last two games his junior season, he looks forward to coming back as a senior and with his teammates having more experience under their belts. After his final game of the season, Mills said what many defenders already knew - it's tough to guard Skip Mills.
"I've said it before, I don't feel like anyone can guard me," Mills said. "They can switch and put whoever on me, but I feel as long as I can get the shot off it doesn't matter who is guarding me."
CLEVELAND
No matter what happens to Ball State next season, the Cardinals will be guaranteed one game in Cleveland for the MAC Tournament.
Unlike this season where first-round games were played at the campus sites of teams with the best records, all first round games will be played at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland beginning next season.
The four rounds will be played during four straight days from Wednesday until the championship game on Saturday. The top four teams during the regular season will still have a bye through the first round.
This year's top team in the regular season also won the tournament crown. Kent State grabbed a 71-66 win over Toledo to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since its Elite Eight run in 2002.
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