Payton Sparks

Position:
Forward
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Winchester, Ind.
High School:
Winchester Community

2023-24 (Junior)
• 880 career points at IU and Ball State
Appeared in 24 games with two starts… averaged 2.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in 7.3 minutes per game… shot 51.4% (18-of-35) from the floor… totaled two points and four rebounds in his season debut against Army (Nov. 12)… registered one point and one block against Wright State (Nov. 16)... compiled one rebound and one steal against No. 5/4 UConn (Nov. 19)... put up nine points, three rebounds, and one block against Louisville (Nov. 20)... recorded one assist against Harvard (Nov. 26)... charted one point and four rebounds against Maryland (Dec. 1)... finished with six points and one rebound at Michigan (Dec. 5)... chipped in three points and two rebounds against Auburn (Dec. 9)... added five rebounds, one assist, and one steal against North Alabama (Dec. 21) ... charted four minutes against Morehead State (Dec. 19)... contributed 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists, one steal, and a career-high four blocks in his first start as a Hoosier against Kennesaw State (Dec. 29)... finished with two rebounds at Rutgers (Jan. 9)... added five points and four rebounds against No. 2/2 Purdue (Jan. 16)... secured seven points, two rebounds, one assist, two steals, and one block in his second start of the season at No. 11/8 Wisconsin (1/19)... saw three minutes at No. 10/11 Illinois (Jan. 27)… recorded one rebound and one block against Iowa (Jan. 30)... put up one point at Ohio State (Feb. 6)... totaled one point and two rebounds at No. 2/2 Purdue (Feb. 10)... charted two points and one rebound against Northwestern (Feb. 18)... compiled one assist at Penn State (Feb. 24)... posted one point and one rebound against Wisconsin (Feb. 27)... totaled one rebound at Minnesota (March 6)... played two minutes against Penn State in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament (March 14)... charted two points, two rebounds, and one block against Nebraska in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament (March 15).

CAREER AT BALL STATE
Two-time All-MAC performer… amassed 829 points, 531 rebounds, 96 assists, 26 steals, and 44 blocks in 62 career games at Ball State… started all 62 games … scored in double figures in 47 of 62 career games... recorded nine games with 20 or more points scoring… posted 22 double-doubles... grabbed double-digit rebounds in 25 contests… played his last season for former Hoosier Michael Lewis.

2022-23 (Sophomore – Ball State)
• All-MAC Second Team
Started all 31 games for Ball State... averaged 13.3 points, 8.7 rebounds (4th in the MAC), and 1.9 assists per game… shot 58.8% (147-of-250, 3rd in the MAC) from the floor and 52.5% (115-of-219) from the free throw line… scored in double figures on 23 occasions… topped 20 points five times… posted 10 double-doubles… totaled 98 offensive rebounds… blocked 29 shots… tallied 15 points, eight boards, and two blocks against Earlham (Nov. 7)… collected 18 points, six rebounds, and two blocks at Indiana State (Nov. 12)… charted nine points, six rebounds, and two assists at Omaha (Nov. 16)… added 17 points, six rebounds, and three assists against IU South Bend (Nov. 19)… went for 11 points, seven rebounds, and four assists against Vermont (Nov. 25)… scored a career-high 24 points to go along with 12 rebounds and two steals against Missouri State (Nov. 26)… recorded 14 points and 10 boards against San Jose State (Nov. 27)… scored 10 points to go along with 12 rebounds and four assists at Duquesne (Dec. 3)… secured 12 points and four rebounds at Eastern Illinois (Dec. 7)… compiled 18 points and 12 boards against Evansville (Dec. 10)… went for 12 points and six rebounds against Illinois State (Dec. 17)… grabbed seven rebounds to go along with four points against Georgia Southern (Dec. 21)… tallied 11 points, eight rebounds, and four assists against Chicago State (Dec. 28)… charted eight points, seven rebounds, and three assists at Toledo (Jan. 3)… contributed 15 points and eight rebounds against Akron (Jan. 6)… added 12 points and eight boards at Ohio (Jan. 10)… compiled a 12-point, 14-rebound double-double with two blocks against Miami (Ohio) (Jan. 14)… tallied 14 points and eight rebounds against Western Michigan (Jan. 17)… posted seven points and two rebounds at Kent State (Jan. 20)… blocked two shots to go along with eight points against Buffalo (Jan. 24)… collected 10 rebounds and nine points at Northern Illinois (Jan. 28)… added 10 more rebounds and five points at Bowling Green (Jan. 31)… exploded for 22 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, and a career-high three blocks against Eastern Michigan (Feb. 3)… went for 11 points and 10 rebounds at Central Michigan (Feb. 7)… compiled 18 points, eight rebounds, and three assists against Bowling Green (Feb. 11)… matched a career-high with 16 rebounds to go along with 20 points against Northern Illinois (Feb. 14)… scored 11 points to go along with eight rebounds and a pair of blocks at Western Michigan (Feb. 18)… put up an 11-point, 12-rebound double-double against Kent State (Feb. 21)… recorded eight points, nine rebounds, and three assists at Akron (Feb. 28)… charted 24 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocked shots against Toledo (March 3)… posted 21 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks against Ohio in the MAC Tournament (March 9).

2021-22 (Freshman – Ball State)
• Kyle Macy Freshman All-America Team
• NABC All-District Second Team
• MAC Freshman of the Year
• All-MAC Third Team
• MAC All-Freshman Team
• Third-most points by a Ball State freshman in program history (418)
Started all 31 games for the Cardinals... averaged 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game… shot 53.3% (138-of-259) from the floor and 70.3% (142-of-202) from the free throw line… scored in double figures on 24 occasions… topped 20 points four times… posted 12 double-doubles… totaled 97 offensive rebounds… charted six points, 12 rebounds, two assists, and two steals against Georgia Southern (Nov. 9)… tallied 13 points and five rebounds against Omaha (Nov. 13)… recorded seven points and five rebounds against FIU (Nov. 18)… added 13 points and six boards against Weber State (Nov. 19)… collected eight point and eight rebounds against UMass (Nov. 21)… tallied 12 points and three rebounds against Indiana State (Nov. 27)… registered six points, three rebounds, and one assist at Western Illinois (Dec. 1)… went for four points and four rebounds at Xavier (Dec. 8)… dished out a season-best five assists to go along with 12 points and seven rebounds against IU Kokomo (Dec. 12)… recorded eight points, three rebounds, and one assist at Illinois State (Dec. 18)… charted 16 points, eight rebounds, and a block against Eastern Illinois (Dec. 21)… scored 20 points to go along with nine rebounds and two assists against Bowling Green (Jan. 1)… tallied 12 points and nine boards against Kent State (Jan. 4)… recorded 11 points, six rebounds, and two assists at Eastern Michigan (Jan. 8)… registered first career double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds at Akron (Jan. 11)… grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds to go along with 18 points against Buffalo (Jan. 14)… went for 17 points, 14 rebounds, and a blocked shot at Toledo (Jan. 18)… matched a season high with 23 points against Miami (Ohio) (Jan. 25)… scored 11 points to go along with eight rebounds at Northern Illinois (Jan. 27)… registered 11 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists against Western Michigan (Jan. 29)… added 13 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists at Ohio (Feb. 1)… scored 18 points to go along with 11 rebounds, four assists, and a block against Toledo (Feb. 4)… tallied a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double against Central Michigan (Feb. 8)… charted 19 points and 12 rebounds at Buffalo (Feb. 12)… went for 16 points and eight rebounds against Northern Illinois (Feb. 15)… added 15 points and 11 rebounds at Bowling Green (Feb. 19)… recorded 15 points, six rebounds, and two assists at Kent State (Feb. 22)… collected 17 points and 10 rebounds against Eastern Michigan (Feb. 26)… scored five points to go along with six rebounds against Akron (March 1)… finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists at Western Michigan (March 4)… tallied 20 points and 14 rebounds in the MAC Tournament against Ohio (March 10).

Prep/Personal
A 2021 graduate of Winchester Community High School where he was an IBCA All-State performer and the Tri-Eastern Conference Player of the Year for Coach Dustin Baldwin … averaged a double-double his last three years, including 19.4 points, 13.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.5 steals as a senior and 21.9 points and 12.4 rebounds as a junior … he was named small school all-state and conference player of the year … played for Midwest Basketball Club on the AAU circuit and Coach David Ramey and also lettered in tennis… son of Tracey and Brianna Sparks and has a younger brother, Connor… majoring in history… born on October 24, 2002.