by Sports Xchange

That sounds bad until you realize Ball State retains sophomore big man Jarrod Jones, the MAC's reigning Freshman of the Year who racked up 11.2 points, 7.3 rebounds per game and 1.1 blocks per game. He gives third-year coach Billy Taylor an excellent building block as the Cardinals sort out their perimeter plan -- essentially the opposite situation Ball State dealt with as the 2008-09 season unfolded.

"I was glad we had some seniors around him to take some pressure off him," Taylor said. "He really came on the scene in a hurry."

Now Jones needs some help in a hurry. He and junior power forward Malik Perry (4.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg) are the only returning starters on a roster that features just 10 scholarship players. Perry, lightly used senior point guard Brawley Chisholm (1.7 ppg) and senior forward Terrence Watson (a transfer from Mississippi) are the only Cardinals who aren't freshmen or sophomores.

Taylor's first order of business throughout preseason practices figures to be settling on who'll play the "1." Sophomore Randy Davis is the top returning assist man with 42 in 26 games. Davis won the point guard job last year during the preseason, but injured his ankle and never became quite right. Chisholm, meanwhile, played just 122 minutes last season as he made the transition from Western Texas Junior College. Taylor hopes Chisholm takes the big jump that so many other juco transfers make.

Ball State has nothing but youngsters at the other perimeter spots. The only guys with experience are sophomore guard Pierre Sneed (2.3 ppg) and sophomore forward Maurice Hubbard (3.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg).