Ball State University Athletics
Women's Basketball Travels To Illinois State Wednesday
December 05, 2006 | Women's Basketball
What's On Tap . . .
Ball State continues its seven-game road swing with tonight's contest at Illinois State. The Cardinals are off to a 5-0 start on the season, matching the best start in program history. Illinois State comes into the game with a 4-2 record on the year and are riding a two-game winning streak.
Series History vs. Illinois State . . .
Tonight's showdown is the fifth meeting all-time between Ball State and Illinois State. The Cardinals hold a 3-1 record all-time against the Redbirds, including a 65-61 victory last season in Muncie. The Cardinals are 1-1 all-time against Illinois State in Normal, Ill.
2001-02
BSU 78, Ill. State 61 (H)
2003-04
BSU 87 (H), Ill. State 64
2004-05
Ill. State 82 (H), BSU 74
2005-06
BSU 65 (H), Ill. State 61
Last Season vs. Illinois State . . .
The Cardinals took home a 65-61 victory over the Redbirds last season at Worthen Arena. Ball State jumped out to a quick lead against the Redbirds as it held a 33-24 advantage at halftime.
Julie DeMuth led the Cardinals to the victory as she posted a double-double with a game-high 19 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. DeMuth was six-of-15 from the field in the victory and was six-of-eight from the charity stripe.
Guard Tina Bolte added 11 points in the victory as she was six-of-seven from the free throw line and two-of-six from the field. Kristi Cirone paced the Redbirds with 16 points in the loss for ISU.
Fast Starts . . .
The Cardinals are once again off to a fast start as BSU has tied a school record for five straight victories to open a season. Ball State is 5-0 for the second straight season and will look to make program history in tonight's game against Illinois State. The Cardinals' victory over Butler moved them past the 1999-2000 team that opened the year 4-0.
5-0 - 2006-07
5-0 - 2005-06
4-0 - 1999-2000
3-0 - 1975-76
Last Time Out . . .
The Cardinals improved to 5-0 on the young season with a 97-65 victory over Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Junior forward Lisa Rusche had a breakout performance as she scored a career-high 36 points.
Rusche, whose previous career-high was 13 points, turned in the fourth best scoring effort in program history with her 36-point outburst. She finished the game 15-of-23 from the field in the victory as she surpassed her old career-high just 12 minutes into the game. She also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to record her second career double-double. Her 36 points are the most scored by a Cardinal since Tamara Bowie notched a school-record 40 points in the 2002-03 season.
The Cardinals dominated the second half as they connected on 19-of-30 (63.3%) from the field in the half to finish the game shooting 55 percent from the field. BSU connected on 15-of-20 (75%) from the free throw line in the second half as it went to the line 37 times against the Bulldogs.
Julie DeMuth finished the game with 15 points and nine rebounds as she narrowly missed her second double-double of the season. She scored all 15 points from the free throw line as she tied Bowie's school-record for free throws made in a game with 15-of-16 (93.7%) made from the stripe.
Porchia Green continued her stellar all-around play as she scored 10 points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished out five assists and tallied four steals. Kiley Jarrett added nine points and five assists.
Freshman Audrey McDonald added eight points while senior center Becca Bajorek also chipped in eight points.
Scouting the Cardinals . . .
The Cardinals enter tonight's game with a 5-0 record. Ball State is averaging 79.8 points per game on offense and is holding opponents to just 60.0 points per contest. The Cardinals are shooting 49.6 percent from the field and holding opponents to just 39 percent shooting from the field.
The Cardinals use a balanced scoring attack as nine different players average at least 5.4 points per game.
Junior Julie DeMuth leads the team in scoring at 15.2 points per game and in rebounding at 8.2 boards per contest. Junior Lisa Rusche is second on the team in scoring at 13 points per game and in rebounding at 7.8 rebounds per contest.
Senior guard Kelsey Corbin is the third Cardinal averaging double figures as she chips in 11 points per game. She also is second on the team in assists at 19 this year. Freshman Audrey McDonald adds 9.8 points per game while Kiley Jarrett posts 7.8 points per game.
Sophomore guard Porchia Green has boasted stellar all-around play this season as she is averaging 8.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.2 steals per game.
Scouting the Redbirds . . .
Illinois State enters tonight's game with a 4-2 record on the season and have won two straight games. The Redbirds are averaging 77.5 points per game this season while allowing 73.5 points per contest.
Forward Kenyatta Shelton leads the team in scoring at 13.7 points per game and in rebounding at 8.3 boards per contest. Guard Kristi Cirone leads the team with 45 assists and also chips in 7.8 points per game.
Illinois State has seven players averaging at least seven points per game on the season.
Cardinals In NCAA Stats . . .
Ball State's name is littered throughout the NCAA statistical rankings in the early part of the season as the Cardinals are in the top 32 in seven different team categories. Ball State is tied for first in winning percentage (1.000), is 10th in field goal percentage (49.6), is 16th in scoring offense (79.8), is 19th in scoring margin (+19.8), is 26th in assists per game (17.4), is 28th in three-point field goal percentage (39.0) and is 32nd in three-point field goals made per game (6.4). BSU also ranks 47th in steals per game (11.2).
Individually speaking, freshman guard Audrey McDonald is 19th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage at 50 percent. Sophomore Porchia Green is 35th in steals per game (3.2) while forward Lisa Rusche is 61st in the nation in field goal percentage (54.2).
RPI Watching . . .
The Cardinals, off to a program tying 5-0 start, are making some noise this year in the early RPI rankings. Ball State enters tonight's game ranked as high as 27th in the RPI by the Sagarin Report. BSU is also listed 47th by RealtimeRPI.com and 72nd by CollegeRPI.com. The first NCAA RPI release is not sent out until February of each season.
Road Warriors . . .
The Cardinals, fresh off of three straight home games, begin a season-high seven-game road trip in the month of December. Ball State will not be back in Worthen Arena until its Mid-American Conference opener against Toledo on January 3.
Double-Trouble . . .
Junior Julie DeMuth led the Mid-American Conference in double-doubles last season as she posted 10 double dips as a sophomore. DeMuth posted her first double-double of the 2006-07 season against Wright State as she scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. She enter's tonight's game with 14 career double-doubles as she is tied for third all-time in BSU history in career double dips with former BSU standout Kate Endress.
Below is a list of the all-time double-doubles in BSU history:
Emma Jones - 49
Tamara Bowie - 31
Julie DeMuth - 14
Kate Endress - 14
Countdown to 100 . . .
Head coach Tracy Roller is in her sixth season as the helm of the Cardinals and brings a 96-59 record into tonight's game. She is already the all-time winningest coach in BSU women's basketball history. She needs just four wins to become just the third basketball coach as Ball State, men's or women's, to reach 100 career victories with the Cardinals.
Roller moved into sole possession of fourth all-time in both men's and women's basketball at Ball State as she past former BSU men's coach Tim Buckley. She needs just one victories to move into a tie with Dick Hunsaker for third all-time in career victories.
Jim Hinga (1954-68)
154-169
Ray McCallum (1993-2000)
126-76
Dick Hunsaker (1989-93)
97-34
Tracy Roller (2001-present)
96-59
Tim Buckley (2000-06)
93-87
Owning the Glass . . .
Junior guard Julie DeMuth led the Cardinals and the Mid-American Conference in rebounding last season with 249 boards. DeMuth became just the fourth Cardinal all-time to lead the MAC in rebounding joining the likes of Jessica Reiter (2004-05), Christy Jones (1999-00) and Karen Bauer (1981-82).
DeMuth's 249 rebounds were the eighth most in a single season at BSU. She enters tonight's game with 490 career rebounds. She moved into 14th place all-time in career rebounds with her 12 boards against Wright State as she surpassed Dianne McConnell for 14th place. She needs just one rebound to become the 14th player all-time to reach the 500-rebound plateau.
10th - Alana Hancock (586)
11th - Glena Rusch (540)
12th - Lisa Hicks (501)
13th - Amy Zercher (500)
14th - Julie DeMuth (499)
15th - Dianne McConnell (475)
It's Trey Day . . .
Senior Tina Bolte led the Cardinals last season with 67 three-pointers made on the year. Her 67 three-pointers were the fifth most in a single season at BSU and she enters today's game tied for fourth all-time in career-three-pointers made with 139. She moved into a tie for fourth with Alana Hancock on Saturday with a three-pointer against Butler.
She needs just 13 three-pointers to move into the top three long-range shooters all-time at Ball State.
1st - Johna Goff (253)
2nd - Kate Endress (205)
3rd - Markita Griffin (152)
t-4th - Tina Bolte (139)
t-4th - Alana Hancock (139)
Lending a Helping Hand . . .
Senior guard Kelsey Corbin led the team in assists last year as she dished out 115 helpers. She became just the seventh player all-time to reach 300 career assists last weekend as she moved into sixth place all-time in career helpers on Saturday and now sits at 305.
3rd - Johna Goff (447)
4th - Stephanie McQuinne (364)
5th - Jane Emkes (346)
6th - Kelsey Corbin (305)
7th - Alana Hancock (302)
8th - Michelle Baker (298)
History in the Making . . .
One game into the season and the Cardinals have already made some history. For the first time in program history, BSU had two true freshmen score in double figures in their collegiate debuts when Audrey McDonald and Kalynne Proctor recorded the feat against Michigan on Monday night. McDonald scored 14 points while Proctor added 10 points. They are the first set of freshmen to reach double figures in the first career game in the 33-year history of Cardinal women's basketball.
Corbin Honored . . .
Senior guard Kelsey Corbin picked up Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week honors on Wednesday afternoon for her efforts against Michigan. The weekly honor is the first of her career for Corbin and she becomes the first Cardinal to win the award since Julie DeMuth took home the accolades last December.
Corbin led all scorers against the Wolverines with 16 points to guide the Cardinals to a four-point victory at Ann Arbor, Mich.
Preseason Prognosticators . . .
Ball State was picked to finish third in the Mid-American Conference West Division in the preseason poll conducted by league coaches and members of the MAC News Media Association.
Ball State received 157 total votes including six first place votes in the West Division as four different teams garnered first place tallies. Defending divisional champion Easter Michigan was picked to finish first in the West with 241 total votes and 21 first place votes while Western Michigan was tabbed for second with 188 votes and eight first place picks. Northern Illinois, Toledo and Central Michigan round out the preseason poll for the West Division.
Defending MAC Champion and NCAA Tournament participant Bowling Green was picked to repeat in the East Division with 245 total votes and 40 first place votes. Kent State was tabbed for second while Miami, Ohio, Buffalo and Akron round out the East Division predictions.
Radio Air Time . . .
The Cardinals will again have most of their games broadcast on the student station WCRD 91.3, including both exhibition games. All games broadcast by WCRD will also be streamed online at www.ballstatesports.com. Kyle Trompeter, Karl Mandik and Joel Nickels will do the honors for WCRD.
Ball State will also have 15 regular season games broadcast on Muncie's WXFN 1340 AM this season. Jay Garrison will handle the play-by-play duties this season. The 15 games broadcast on WXFN are:
Nov. 18 - Wright State
Nov. 25 - Howard
Nov. 26 - BSU Credit Union
Dec. 2 at Butler
Dec. 10 vs. Valparaiso
Dec. 18 at Indiana
Jan. 3 - Toledo
Jan. 6 - Western Michigan
Jan. 17 - Northern Illinois
Jan. 20 - Miami
Jan. 27 - Ohio
Feb. 11 - Kent State
Feb. 17 at Western Michigan
Feb. 21 - Central Michigan
Feb. 24 - Eastern Michigan
MAC TOURNAMENT
Tracy Roller Show . . .
Head coach Tracy Roller will once again be on the air this season on WCRD and on www.ballstatesports.com with the Tracy Roller Show. The show will air on Monday evenings at 7 p.m. starting in December and will air live from Johnny Carino's on McGalliard.
Corbin's Corner . . .
Cardinal fans can get an inside look at the BSU women's basketball team this season from Corbin's Corner. Senior guard Kelsey Corbin has been keeping an online journal through the entire preseason and will continue throughout her senior campaign on www.ballstatesports.com. Check out the weekly journal that updates each Friday afternoon.
Cardinal Schedule . . .
Ball State has a challenging 27-game schedule for the upcoming 2006-07 season. The schedule includes non-conference games against teams from the Big Ten, Horizon League and Conference USA as well as the Mid-Eastern, Independent, Big South, Missouri Valley, Metro-Atlantic and Atlantic 10 conferences. The Cardinals will also have a 16-game Mid-American Conference schedule this season.
The slate includes games against six teams that advanced to the postseason in 2006, including NCAA Tournament teams Tulsa and Bowling Green as well as WNIT participants Indiana, Xavier, Charlotte and Eastern Michigan. The Cardinals will also face nine teams that finished last season with an RPI of 150 or better, including seven against teams rated in the top 100 in RPI.
Looking Ahead . . .
The Cardinals continue their seven-game road swing on Sunday afternoon as they travel to Fort Wayne to take on Valparaiso in the Hoopla at 1 p.m.
