1988–89 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball team

1988–89 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball
MAC regular season champions
MAC tournament champions
NCAA tournament, Second Round
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Ranking
APNo. 18
Record29–3 (14–2 MAC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
MVPCurtis Kidd
Home arenaIrving Gymnasium
1988–89 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 18 Ball State 14 2   .875 29 3   .906
Kent State 12 4   .750 21 10   .677
Toledo 11 5   .688 18 13   .581
Eastern Michigan 8 8   .500 17 12   .586
Central Michigan 7 9   .438 13 15   .464
Bowling Green 7 9   .438 13 15   .464
Western Michigan 6 10   .375 12 16   .429
Ohio 6 10   .375 13 16   .448
Miami (OH) 1 15   .063 5 23   .179
1989 MAC tournament winner
Rankings from AP poll

The 1988–89 Ball State Cardinals men's basketball team represented Ball State University as a member of the Mid-American Conference during the 1988–89 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by second-year head coach Rick Majerus, Ball State played stifling defense en route to one of the best seasons in the school's history, including a school-record 29 wins and the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. The Cardinals won MAC regular season and tournament titles, advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament, and finished the season with a 29–3 record (14–2 MAC).