2026-27 Outlook
LangIndex projects Ball State at #296 nationally for the 2026-27 college basketball season with a projected efficiency margin of -3.1 points per 100 possessions. The model sees improvement from last season's #320 finish. This projects as a development year.
Only 18% of last season's minutes return, so this roster will look very different. Expect some early-season volatility while new pieces settle in. The program adds 2 incoming recruits to the mix.
Last Season (2025-26)
Ball State finished 2025-26 at 10-19, ranked #320 in the final LangIndex ratings with adjusted offense of 94.7 and adjusted defense of 113.6 points per 100 possessions.
How LangIndex Rates Ball State
Ball State's power rating of -3.1 is an adjusted efficiency margin: the points per 100 possessions the model expects them to outscore an average Division I team by, once you strip out schedule strength. It combines adjusted offensive efficiency, adjusted defensive efficiency, and pace into one number, so a rating of -3.1 means Ball State projects to lose to a neutral-court average team by about 2 points on a typical night. The full live version updates every morning during the season.
Ball State Rating History
Season-by-season LangIndex power rating and national rank. Ball State has been fairly steady in the LangIndex ratings over this stretch. Their best finish in this window was #148 in 2022-23.
| Season | Power Rating | Nat. Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | -8.9 | #312 |
| 2024-25 | -2.6 | #219 |
| 2023-24 | -2.1 | #202 |
| 2022-23 | +1.6 | #148 |
| 2021-22 | -6.7 | #257 |
| 2020-21 | -3.4 | #208 |