Ball State University Athletics
Cardinal Women Edged at Miami
January 25, 2006 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Ohio -- Miami's roster might indicate inexperience, but for the first 20 minutes the RedHawks looked like the veteran team on the floor. And, after a heart-felt BSU comeback in the second half and a stellar defensive performance that held one of the MAC's top scorers without a point for nearly 28 minutes, it was freshman Eve Pyle of Miami who sealed the victory with two free throws and just two seconds on the clock to lead her team to the 66-65 win.
Miami struck first and reeled off nine unanswered points, before taking a 9-0 lead heading into the first media timeout. After seven-straight misses, the Cardinals' first basket came at the 15:40 juncture on a 3-pointer from the top of the key by Erica Cotton. BSU cut its deficit to four points with a driving breakaway layup from Tina Bolte, but Miami responded with back-to-back buckets by Eve Pyle to take a 13-5 lead with 11:50 remaining in the half. Two free throws by Jaclyn Leininger gave Miami its first double-digit advantage of 15-5 at the 11:29 mark.
Becca Bajorek snapped a nearly five minute Ball State scoring drought with a pair of free tosses to begin an 8-0 BSU run --including two-pointers by Stephanie Douglas, Kelsey Corbin andJulie DeMuth-- to cut the deficit to five at 18-13 with 7:02 on the clock. The Cardinals got within three points at 22-19 when Kiley Jarrett knocked down a jumper with 3:54 remaining. Leininger answered with a basket 19 seconds later. She augmented MU's lead to eight with an old-fashioned three-point play on the RedHawks' next possession. Two more free throws by Ashley Hawkins put Miami on top 29-20 with just 30 seconds left in the period. Ball State answered with a jumper by Bajorek and another by Cotton as time expired to move within five points at 29-24 at the break.
Over the first 20 minutes, Ball State was a frigid 9-of-35 for a .257 field goal percentage, including a 1-of-12 showing from 3-point range. Miami was only slightly better from the field, converting 11-of-34 for a .324 percentage. MU took advantage of seven free tosses, making six. BSU managed just 5-of-11 from the free throw line. The teams combined for 19 first-half turnovers, 11 by the hosts.
Ball State began the second much differently than the first. DeMuth converted one free throw and Bolte followed with a baseline jumper to get within two points at 29-27 with just 28 seconds elapsed. The Cardinals stayed within three points for the next several minutes, before Miami reeled off eight unanswered points to go up 42-31 with 13:56 remaining. DeMuth broke the dry spell with a bucket and an immediate free throw for the 3-point play. With Miami up by 10, Stephanie Douglas scored four straight points and Corbin added two to narrow the deficit to just four points at 44-40. Back-to-back field goals by the RedHawks put them back up by nine points -- 53-44 -- at the 7:23 media timeout.
After Miami built its second double-digit advantage of the half, Ball State responded with a long three by Bolte and a layup by Corbin to get back within six points. In a blink of an eye, Miami was back on top by 12 points -- 61-49 -- with 5:10 left. BSU got a three-pointer by Cotton and a lay-in by Raechelle Hampton to get within seven points at the final media timeout of the contest with 3:53 left. BSU cut its deficit to four -- 61-57 -- on a putback by DeMuth with 2:30remaining and then within two on an off-balanced jumper by Cotton 30 seconds later. A free throw by Sarah Hull with 1:46 on the clock ended a 3:24 Miami scoring drought and a 10-0 BSU run.
The Cardinals got their first and only lead of the game, when Bolte -- in place of a bleeding Cotton -- converted two free tosses with nine seconds remaining to give BSU the 65-64 advantage. Pyle was fouled on a putback attempt and then made good on both of her free throws to give her team the win.
"We did not deserve to win this game," BSU head coach Tracy Roller said. "We just didn't come ready to play. I give the kids credit for the heart they displayed in the second half, but we cannot continue to dig ourselves into these types of holes and expect to come out with a win."
Ball State put four players into double figures, including a game-high 17 by Cotton, matching her career-high achieved Saturday at Northern Illinois. Bolte added 11 points, while DeMuth and Corbin chipped in with 10 each. DeMuth completed her sixth double-double of the campaign with her 13 rebounds. She added four steals. BSU managed a .368 (25-of-68) showing from the floor, including a cool 3-of-19 from 3-point range. The Cardinals converted just 53 (12-of-23) percent of their free throws.
Miami got a double-double from Pyle, who had game-high marks of 19 points and 15 rebounds. Leininger, a native of Winona Lake, Ind., added 13. The MAC's third-leading scorer -- Cindi Merrill from Noblesville, Ind. -- was held to just four points. Miami shot an identical 36.8 (25-of-68) from the floor, including just 1-of-12 from beyond the arc. The RedHawks did, however, convert 15-of-20 free throw opportunities.
Ball State drops to 10-7 overall and 3-3 in the Mid-Am, while Miami improves to 7-10 and 2-4. The Cardinals return home to Muncie Saturday to host Akron at 3 p.m.
