Ball State University Athletics
BSU Women Coast to MAC Tournament Victory
March 04, 2006 | Women's Basketball
Ball State opened the game with 13 unanswered points, including seven by senior Raechelle Hampton. The Cardinals would never trail on the way to a 71-46 verdict over Akron in the first round of the 2006 Kraft Mid-American Conference Women's Basketball Tournament Saturday at Worthen Arena in Muncie. Hampton made her first five field goals on the way to 11 points in her final home game at BSU. Tina Bolte added a team-high 14 as Ball State, the No. 3 seed in the West Division, advanced to the MAC quarterfinals in Cleveland for a Wednesday date against Kent State, seeded second in the East. This marks BSU's seventh-straight trip to Cleveland.
Unlike the first meeting between the teams earlier this season, which was decided by one point, Ball State dominated this one. The Cardinals surprised their guests with an atypical full court zone press, resulting in 13 points off of turnovers for BSU, which needed just 4:11 to take its first double-digit lead of 11-0. The Cardinals scored 13 points before Jessica Deville hit a jumper to put Akron on the score board at the 14:43 mark.
Bolte nailed her third-straight 3-pointer to give BSU a 20-8 advantage and, after back-to-back field goals by Akron, Ball State went up by 16 points -- 30-14 -- on a 3-point bucket by Porchia Green with 3:58 remaining in the period. Becca Bajorek's layup with 1:17 remaining was the final score of the period as BSU took a 33-21 lead into the break.
The Cardinals maintained double-digit leads for the entire second half. After going up 46-27 at the 14:04 mark, BSU withstood an 8-0 Akron run which culminated in the Zips paring down their deficit to 11 points at 46-35 with 11:28 left. Ball State answered with a 13-0 run to build its largest lead of the game at 24 points -- 59-35 -- at the 8:14 mark. The closest Akron would get from that point was 18 points at 62-44 with 5:08 on the clock. BSU responded by scoring nine of the game's final 11 points for the final margin of victory.
"I thought we were very prepared for Akron this time," BSU head coach Tracy Roller said. "The zone press was something new and I wasn't sure how I would like it, but it turned out well. At this time of year, you have to do whatever you can to win games. Tina did a great job again of getting us going. Raechelle is playing her best basketball at Ball State. I think she sees the light at the end of the tunnel and she's going to go out with a bang."
Ball State meets Kent State for the second time this season. The Flashes posted a 68-55 home court win Feb. 8. It will mark the third time the two teams have paired off in MAC Tournament quarterfinal action. KSU won the two previous matchups -- in 1996 and in 1998.
"I am really pumped about playing Kent State. I thought we played very well at their place and it will be to our advantage to have them on a neutral floor."
Besides Bolte and Hampton, Kelsey Corbin had nine points and a game-high seven assists. Julie DeMuth celebrated her 20th birthday with eight points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists. Kiley Jarrett also scored eight. Becca Bajorek pulled down a team-high seven rebounds for the Cardinals, who posted a 38-34 advantage on the boards and had just nine turnovers to Akron's 16.
The Zips' Jessie Crooks led all scorers with 19 points plus pulled down eight boards. Deville added 11 points. Mandy Holzer matched Crooks with eight rebounds.
Ball State improves to 17-11, while Akron's season ends at 5-23.
