Ball State Men's Basketball Falls to Kent State in Heartbreaker

Cardinals come up short despite strong effort in late-season MAC matchup

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The Ball State Men's Basketball team suffered a tough 75-68 loss to Mid-American Conference (MAC) rival Kent State on Valentine's Day at Worthen Arena. Despite a strong performance from redshirt sophomore guard Davion Hill, who scored a team-high 17 points, the Cardinals were unable to overcome a double-digit deficit for most of the game and ultimately fell short in the final minutes.

Why it matters

This loss puts Ball State at a two-game losing streak as they enter the final stretch of the regular season. Head Coach Michael Lewis expressed disappointment but praised his team's effort, noting they had worked hard and competed well. With only six games remaining, the Cardinals will need to regroup and finish the season strong if they hope to make a postseason push.

The details

Ball State trailed Kent State for the majority of the game, only briefly tying the score in the opening minutes. The Cardinals were unable to take the lead, despite cutting the deficit to one point with under five minutes to play. Coach Lewis said the team "gambled on a pass from 94 feet from the basket" in a key late-game possession, which proved costly. Senior guard Devon Barnes had a strong first half, scoring 12 points, but saw limited minutes in the second half.

  • The game was played on February 14, 2026 at Worthen Arena in Muncie, Indiana.
  • Ball State's previous loss was to Buffalo on February 11, 2026.

The players

Davion Hill

A redshirt sophomore guard for Ball State who scored a team-high 17 points in the game.

Devon Barnes

A senior guard for Ball State who scored 12 points in the first half, eclipsing 1,000 career points, but saw limited minutes in the second half.

Michael Lewis

The head coach of the Ball State Men's Basketball team, who expressed disappointment in the loss but praised his team's effort.

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What they’re saying

“We're just trying to win, just put our best foot forward and be together and try to come out with wins. Hopefully whatever happens in the end will decide itself.”

— Davion Hill, Redshirt Sophomore Guard (ballstatedailynews.com)

“We gambled on a pass from 94 feet from the basket, you can't do that. Like, it has to be a 100% play. It's the basketball gods. They're real, and they punish bad players.”

— Michael Lewis, Head Coach (ballstatedailynews.com)

“I just really feel for the guys, they played tough, and I thought they competed really hard.”

— Michael Lewis, Head Coach (ballstatedailynews.com)

What’s next

The Cardinals will look to bounce back when they host Akron on February 20, 2026 in their final home game of the regular season. They will then travel to Athens, Ohio to take on the Ohio Bobcats on February 17, 2026.

The takeaway

This heartbreaking loss highlights the challenges the Ball State Men's Basketball team faces as they enter the final stretch of the regular season. While the team's effort and competitiveness were commendable, they will need to find a way to close out close games if they hope to make a postseason push. The next few weeks will be crucial for the Cardinals as they look to turn things around and finish the season strong.