Jesse Berry News

Quinten Payne envisioned playing in the backcourt alongside his older brother, Cully, back in November when he signed a national letter of intent to play for Loyola-Chicago. Their future together at Loyola stopped before it ever started, though, as Cully decided to transfer after the season.

Shortly after his introductory press conference on April 10, Ball State basketball coach James Whitford said he intended to sign another player or two in the 2013 class, but only if he considered that player to be the right fit.

Less than three weeks after Ball State hired him as its basketball head coach, James Whitford has secured his first commitment.

James Whitford inherited a basketball roster with two open scholarships for the 2013-14 season, and now in between all of his interviews with assistant coach candidates, he is in search of players still uncommitted at this late juncture who, in his mind, are BSU material.

Ball State forward Tyler Koch had never heard of James Whitford until Saturday, when Whitford was named the men's basketball coach.