FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. ? The Ball State women's basketball team turned in a stellar team effort on Friday afternoon as the Cardinals knocked off America East power Vermont, 83-67 in the opening game of the La Quinta Inn & Suites Thanksgiving Tournament hosted by Northern Arizona University. The Cardinals improve to 2-2 on the young season after the victory, while Vermont falls to 3-2 on the year.
“Today we turned in a great team effort against a very good Vermont team,” seventh-year head coach Tracy Roller said. “We were able to fight through the elements and had great play up and down our lineup. The contributions we received from our bench from Emily (Maggert), Kyleigh (Jones) and Dana (Moorman) were invaluable.”
Senior forward Julie DeMuth (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) dominated play throughout the game as she posted her second consecutive double-double. DeMuth scored a season-high 26 points while grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds. She connected on seven-of-14 from the field and was 12-of-15 from the free throw line.
“Julie was unstoppable again today,” Roller said. “She turned in another great performance and battled throughout the game on both ends of the floor.”
Ball State turned in a strong team performance as seven players scored in the victory, including four players in double figures. The Cardinals were aggressive all game long as they went to the free throw line a season-high 38 times and converted 78.9 percent from the line. In contrast, Vermont only went to the line nine times in the entire game.
The Cardinals came out of the gate quickly against the Catamounts as they jumped out to a 13-2 just five minutes into the game. The Cardinals attacked from the tip as senior forward Lisa Rusche (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) and DeMuth scored on back-to-back trips down the floor as the Cardinals scored the first five points of the game.
Sophomore guard Audrey McDonald (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) put the Cardinals' run into overdrive as she connected on back-to-back three-pointers to give Ball State the early double digit lead. Vermont responded to the Cardinals quick start and started to chip away at the lead with its fast-paced attack.
The Catamounts pulled within five points at 18-13 before the Cardinals turned in a quick spurt with five points in a 1:22 span to extend the lead back to double figures. DeMuth spurred the attack with four straight points as the Cardinals played without Rusche due to first half foul trouble.
Vermont settled in and turned in a run of its own as the Catamounts posted a 12-2 spurt to tie the game at 25-25. Guard Courtnay Pilypaitis, the reigning America East Player of the Year, was held without a basket until five minutes left in the half when she connected on two straight three-pointers to key the spurt.
McDonald hit her third three-pointer of the half with 1:32 left to give the Cardinals a 28-25 lead. Pilypaitis answered with her third from long-range on the ensuing possession to knot the game up at 28. The Cardinals' defense stepped up in the final minute of the half and did not allow a Vermont shot as it forced two Catamount turnovers.
Ball State held the ball in the final seconds when McDonald was fouled on a shot and sent to the free throw line. She connected on two-of-three from the line with five seconds remaining in the half to send the Cardinals into the locker room with a 30-28 lead.
Ball State finished the first half nine-of-20 (45%) shooting from the field and three-of-six (50%) from three-point land. The Cardinals were the aggressor in the opening frame as they connected on nine-of-15 (60%) from the charity stripe. McDonald led all first half scorers with 11 points while DeMuth added nine points and grabbed a half-high six rebounds.
Vermont closed the first half 11-of-26 (42.3%) shooting from the field and four-of-seven (57.1%) from three-point land. The Catamounts only went to the line twice in the first half and hit both of their free throws. Pilypaitis led Vermont in scoring with nine points, but she also recorded five turnovers against the Cardinal defense. Vermont also had four players with two fouls in the first half.
The two teams traded baskets out of the half until the Cardinals turned in a 9-2 run to take a 41-34 lead. The run was spurred by DeMuth, who went to the line three possessions in the opening two minutes of the half. Vermont countered and narrowed the Ball State lead to two points at 43-41.
The Cardinals took control of the game over the next 3:40 of the half as they ran off 15 unanswered points to take a 58-41 lead. DeMuth started the run with back-to-back baskets before junior guard Porchia Green (Indianapolis, Ind./Arlington) took over the game during a two-minute stretch. Green scored seven straight points, including a step back three-pointer. She also dominated play on the defensive end as she blocked a Pilypaitis three-pointer and scored in transition.
Vermont slowed the Cardinals down slightly as it chipped into the BSU lead and narrowed the deficit to 10 points at 70-60 with four minutes remaining. Ball State slammed the door shut on the Catamounts down the stretch as it turned in an 11-2 run.
The Cardinals were strong in the second half from the free throw line as they sealed the victory by connecting on 91.3 percent (21-of-23) from the charity stripe in the second half. Ball State hit its last 14 free throws in the second half as the Cardinals extended their lead in the final eight minutes.
Ball State finished the game 24-of-42 (57.1%) shooting from the field and connected on five-of-eight (62.5%) from three-point land. Vermont was held to just 27-of-63 (42.9%) shooting from the field in the game, while hitting seven-of-15 (46.7%) from three-point land.
McDonald finished the night with 17 points as she was five-of-eight from the field, including three-of-five shooting from long range. Green added 14 points, 12 of which came in the second half, as she finished six-of-seven from the field and hit both of her three-pointers.
Freshman forward Emily Maggert (Paris, Ill./Paris) added 10 points off of the bench as she was six-of-eight from the free throw line. Redshirt freshman Kyleigh Jones (Elwood, Ind./Elwood) scored a career-high nine points as she played a career-high 22 minutes in relief.
Vermont was paced by guard Amy Rosenkrantz as she scored 20 points on eight-of-14 shooting. Pilypaitis was held to 14 points as she attempted just seven shots from the field.
The Cardinals will continue their play in the La Quinta Inn & Suites Thanksgiving Tournament Saturday in the championship game against host Northern Arizona. Game time for the championship game is at 6:35 p.m. (ET)
####
