Get used to hearing the name Zavier Turner. He's Ball State's freshman point guard, and he might just be the best player on the team.
The Cardinals have a pretty strong top four now with the inclusion of Turner. Chris Bond (20 points), Jesse Berry (19), and Majok Majok (11 points, 12 rebounds) are the stalwarts and the stars of this Cardinals team. Adding Turner to that mix just makes the team that much better, and gives them an outside shot of a top-two finish in the MAC West. The bench could use some help, but freshman Franko House's play tonight (4 points, 11 boards) showed that the bench isn't bare. Mark Alstork, also a freshman, chipped in nine off the bench.
It's early, but after hanging with Indiana State and winning tonight, the Cardinals are going to be a better team than the preseason projections show. They'll win some games they aren't supposed to this season and could finish over .500 for the first time in awhile.
They welcome the Butler Bulldogs into Worthen Arena on Saturday, and it'll be a fun one. This is the marquee match-up of the non-conference schedule for the Cardinals, so expect to see a packed house in Muncie. Things are looking up in Cardinal country, and it's not just the football team.