As part of Ball State's #MuncieOut basketball promotion, let's hear about Ball State's memorable NCAA Tournament teams from the man who covered them for the Muncie Star-Press, Doug Zaleski.
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Gary Payton had no idea what he was about to encounter when his favored Oregon State basketball team was assigned a first-round game against Ball State in the 1990 NCAA Tournament.
Ten days before the March 15, 1990, matchup, Sports Illustrated honored Payton on its cover as the national player of the year. A photo showed Payton with his mouth wide open while dribbling a ball, and the headline introduced him as "Oregon State's do-everything, say-anything Gary Payton.