1995 - The Ball State men’s basketball team wins the MAC championship

In 1995, the Ball State men’s basketball team, led by head coach Ray McCallum, won the MAC (Mid-American Conference) championship and earned a trip to the NCAA tournament for the second time in program history.

The Cardinals finished the regular season with a 17-11 record, including an 11-5 mark in conference play, which was good enough for a share of the MAC West division title.

In the MAC tournament, Ball State defeated Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, and Western Michigan to earn the conference championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

In the NCAA tournament, the 14th-seeded Cardinals faced third-seeded Arizona in the first round. Despite a valiant effort, Ball State fell to the Wildcats 82-70, ending their tournament run.

The 1995 MAC championship and NCAA tournament appearance marked a significant achievement for the Ball State men’s basketball program, which had only made one previous NCAA tournament appearance in 1989. The team was led by standout players such as Bonzi Wells, who would go on to play in the NBA, and Michael Meeks, who was named the MAC tournament MVP.