Senior guard Peyton Stovall has spent more time on the basketball court than any Ball State University player in the past 25 years. Only Ray McCallum is ahead of Stovall on the school's all-time list for minutes played.
However, tonight's game against Northern Illinois University will mark Stovall's final 40 minutes in Worthen Arena.
Although his experience with Stovall covers a small portion of the senior's career, Cardinals' coach Billy Taylor said he knows how important Stovall has been to his team.
"Peyton has done so much for this team and this program," Taylor said. "When you look at statistically what he's done for us, it's such a huge impact on every single game that we've played. He's had a tremendous impact on the program. I certainly can't speak highly enough about him."
Taylor said his guard's importance on the team isn't limited to the court.
"What Peyton has brought, and the type of model that he's set for the younger players, has really been invaluable," Taylor said. "That's the type of character we want to have in our program. Great players on the court, great citizens off the court."
Stovall will be honored in a short ceremony before the game.
Taylor, who played college basketball at the University of Notre Dame, knows the emotions a senior day can bring, but said he isn't worried that his team's focus will stray from the game.
"You understand it," Taylor said. "Having been through it myself, I understand the emotions of the night. It's also very much a relief once the game starts, and you can get yourself back into the mode of basketball."
The night will also carry an emotional overtone for the Huskies. Northern Illinois will be playing its third game since the Feb. 14 school shooting that claimed five students' lives as well as the gunman's.
Both of Taylor's parents attended Northern Illinois and the coach grew up near DeKalb, Ill., so the tragedy hit close to home for him.
"I grew up only 30 minutes or so from that campus," Taylor said. "To have that tragedy occur, it's a reminder to you that you need to be thankful for every day that you have. Nothing's guaranteed."
In the teams' first meeting this season at DeKalb, the Huskies edged Ball State 60-58, a game the Cardinals trailed by 18 in the first half before coming back to take a late lead they ultimately couldn't hold.
"That first time at Northern, we got off to a very poor start," Taylor said. "We played 25 minutes of good ball, but we had 15 minutes at the beginning where Northern was more aggressive and we made some questionable decisions. Once we got that under control, we were able to get back in the ball game."
The attention, however, will be on Stovall as the senior prepares to be cheered on for the final time on his home court.
Taylor said he thinks Stovall's effect on Ball State will be felt well beyond his graduation.
"Three, four, 10 years from now, people will still be talking about the impact of Peyton Stovall upon this program," Taylor said.
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