Ball State University Athletics
Wednesday, October 28
Muncie, Ind.
7 PM
Ball State University
vs
Purdue Fort Wayne
Photo by: Sam Findley/Ball State Athletics
October 27, 2026 | Men's Basketball
The Ball State men's basketball team hosts Purdue Fort Wayne for an exhibition at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the final tune-up before the start of the regular season.
There will be a radio broadcast on WMUN 92.5 FM /1340 AM with Mick Tidrow and David Eha on the call but no video stream. Links to the broadcast and tickets can be found above and on the schedule page.
Ball State is entering its first season under the direction of head coach Chris Capko, who was hired in March after most recently being the associate head coach at SMU. The Cardinals fell 87-55 at Purdue back on Sunday, Oct. 18 in the first exhibition game of the preseason.
Purdue Fort Wayne went 17-15 (11-9 Horizon League) last season in head coach Jon Coffman's 12th leading the program. The Mastodons fell 92-62 to Purdue at home last Thursday night in their first exhibition matchup.
The contest is a rematch of sorts as Purdue Fort Wayne beat Ball State 84-70 in an exhibition in Fort Wayne on Oct. 27, 2025. The Mastodons were picked eighth a few weeks ago in the 12-team Horizon League preseason poll.
Ball State begins the regular season on Monday, Nov. 2 at Georgia Southern.
CAPKO'S CARDINALS: Chris Capko was named the 21st head coach in Ball State men's basketball history back in March after most recently serving as associate head coach on Andy Enfield's staff at SMU.
The Florida native spent a total of 12 seasons on Enfield's staffs at USC and SMU including the most recent five as the associate head coach.
EDGE ON EXPERIENCE: The Ball State men's basketball roster features 12 players in their junior year or later along with freshmen Kamden McGilveary and Kai McGrew.
A total of seven Cardinals are in at least their fourth year of college.
FINE WITH COMING HOME: Junior guard Aaron Fine attended many Ball State basketball games growing up in Muncie before moving to Noblesville for high school.
Fine's first contest in a Ball State uniform was also be a homecoming of sorts, as he was at Purdue for his first two collegiate seasons.
I KNOW YOU: Capko has known UMass transfer guard K'Jei Parker his entire life.
Both Florida natives, Capko is good friends with Parker's dad Kevis and even held K'Jei when he was a baby.
BACK FOR MORE: Senior Mason Jones has played the third-most minutes at a MAC school among players on 2026-27 season rosters entering the campaign.
The 2,192 career minutes trail only Ohio forward Javan Simmons and UMass guard/forward Jayden Ndijigue. Simmons transferred from Toledo after two seasons, and UMass has only been in the MAC for one season, so Jones has played the most minutes at the same MAC school among players on active rosters.
MEETING THE MASTODONS: Ball State's exhibition with Purdue Fort Wayne will be the second in as many years, as the Cardinals played the Mastodons on Oct. 27, 2025 in Fort Wayne.
The most recent meeting between Ball State and Purdue Fort Wayne in Muncie was on Dec. 31, 2007 when the Cardinals won 69-62 in the New Year's Eve contest.
In-State Rivalries: Wednesday's exhibition vs Purdue Fort Wayne is the second of five scheduled contests this season against teams from the state of Indiana for the Cardinals.
In addition to the Oct. 18 exhibition at Purdue, Ball State also has regular season games against Indiana State (Nov. 6) and Evansville (Dec. 8) at home and USI (Nov. 28) on the road.
MORE MACTION: The Mid-American Conference slate jumped from 18 to 22 games in advance of the 2026-27 season.
The MAC is at 12 teams after Northern Illinois left for the Horizon League, and each team will play a true double round robin with home and away games against every other team.
CANADA CONNECTION: Sean Blake, Babatunde Durodola and assistant coach Manny Dosanjh are all from the Toronto area.
Blake and Durodola will be Ball State's first Canadian players since Ben Hendriks (2019-25). Both Blake and Hendriks have the same hometown of Mississauga.
There will be a radio broadcast on WMUN 92.5 FM /1340 AM with Mick Tidrow and David Eha on the call but no video stream. Links to the broadcast and tickets can be found above and on the schedule page.
Ball State is entering its first season under the direction of head coach Chris Capko, who was hired in March after most recently being the associate head coach at SMU. The Cardinals fell 87-55 at Purdue back on Sunday, Oct. 18 in the first exhibition game of the preseason.
Purdue Fort Wayne went 17-15 (11-9 Horizon League) last season in head coach Jon Coffman's 12th leading the program. The Mastodons fell 92-62 to Purdue at home last Thursday night in their first exhibition matchup.
The contest is a rematch of sorts as Purdue Fort Wayne beat Ball State 84-70 in an exhibition in Fort Wayne on Oct. 27, 2025. The Mastodons were picked eighth a few weeks ago in the 12-team Horizon League preseason poll.
Ball State begins the regular season on Monday, Nov. 2 at Georgia Southern.
CAPKO'S CARDINALS: Chris Capko was named the 21st head coach in Ball State men's basketball history back in March after most recently serving as associate head coach on Andy Enfield's staff at SMU.
The Florida native spent a total of 12 seasons on Enfield's staffs at USC and SMU including the most recent five as the associate head coach.
EDGE ON EXPERIENCE: The Ball State men's basketball roster features 12 players in their junior year or later along with freshmen Kamden McGilveary and Kai McGrew.
A total of seven Cardinals are in at least their fourth year of college.
FINE WITH COMING HOME: Junior guard Aaron Fine attended many Ball State basketball games growing up in Muncie before moving to Noblesville for high school.
Fine's first contest in a Ball State uniform was also be a homecoming of sorts, as he was at Purdue for his first two collegiate seasons.
I KNOW YOU: Capko has known UMass transfer guard K'Jei Parker his entire life.
Both Florida natives, Capko is good friends with Parker's dad Kevis and even held K'Jei when he was a baby.
BACK FOR MORE: Senior Mason Jones has played the third-most minutes at a MAC school among players on 2026-27 season rosters entering the campaign.
The 2,192 career minutes trail only Ohio forward Javan Simmons and UMass guard/forward Jayden Ndijigue. Simmons transferred from Toledo after two seasons, and UMass has only been in the MAC for one season, so Jones has played the most minutes at the same MAC school among players on active rosters.
MEETING THE MASTODONS: Ball State's exhibition with Purdue Fort Wayne will be the second in as many years, as the Cardinals played the Mastodons on Oct. 27, 2025 in Fort Wayne.
The most recent meeting between Ball State and Purdue Fort Wayne in Muncie was on Dec. 31, 2007 when the Cardinals won 69-62 in the New Year's Eve contest.
In-State Rivalries: Wednesday's exhibition vs Purdue Fort Wayne is the second of five scheduled contests this season against teams from the state of Indiana for the Cardinals.
In addition to the Oct. 18 exhibition at Purdue, Ball State also has regular season games against Indiana State (Nov. 6) and Evansville (Dec. 8) at home and USI (Nov. 28) on the road.
MORE MACTION: The Mid-American Conference slate jumped from 18 to 22 games in advance of the 2026-27 season.
The MAC is at 12 teams after Northern Illinois left for the Horizon League, and each team will play a true double round robin with home and away games against every other team.
CANADA CONNECTION: Sean Blake, Babatunde Durodola and assistant coach Manny Dosanjh are all from the Toronto area.
Blake and Durodola will be Ball State's first Canadian players since Ben Hendriks (2019-25). Both Blake and Hendriks have the same hometown of Mississauga.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballThursday, October 15
Wednesday, October 14
Monday, October 12
Thursday, October 01