MUNCIE, Ind. ? The Ball State women's basketball team returns home to the friendly confines of Worthen Arena on Tuesday for the first time in 17 days as the Cardinals host regional rival Illinois State. Game time is set for 7 p.m. for the non-conference battle.
“We are really excited about being back home Tuesday,” head coach Tracy Roller said. “We have improved in practice from our last game look forward to playing consistent team oriented basketball against a very challenging opponent in Illinois State.”
Tuesday's game is the sixth meeting all-time between Ball State and Illinois State. The Cardinals hold a 3-2 advantage in the all-time series, but dropped an 82-72 loss at Illinois State last season. The loss was the first of the season for the Cardinals last year as they rallied from a 21-point halftime deficit. The Cardinals pulled within three points with 36 seconds remaining, but Illinois State was able to hit its free throws to hold off the Cardinal rally.
Forward Julie DeMuth (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) scored a career-high 28 points while also grabbing 16 rebounds in the loss. DeMuth finished 10-of-18 from the field and seven-of-eight from the free throw line on her career night. Guard Porchia Green (Indianapolis, Ind./Arlington) added 11 points as she was three-of-four from three-point land. Sophomore guard Audrey McDonald (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) chipped in 11 points and handed out four assists in the losing effort.
Illinois State had three players score in double figures in the victory. Kristi Cirone led the charge with 25 points as she was 13-of-16 from the free throw line. Megan McCracken added 20 points off of the bench for the Redbirds, while Maggie Krick chipped in 17 points.
Ball State enters the game with a 3-4 record as the Cardinals are coming off of back-to-back road losses at Temple and Valparaiso. The Cardinals are averaging 65.1 points per game this season and lead the Mid-American Conference in field goal shooting at 44.2 percent.
The Cardinals are led by DeMuth who averages a team-high 14.7 points per game as well as a team-high 7.4 rebounds per game. She is coming off of an 18-point effort against Valparaiso as she was seven-of-12 from the field.
Green is second on the team in scoring at 12.0 points per game, while also grabbing 4.6 rebounds per contest. McDonald chips in 10.6 points per game as she is shooting 40 percent (18-of-45) from three-point land.
Senior forward Lisa Rusche (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) adds 9.6 points per game. Junior point guard Kiley Jarrett (Bloomington, Ind./North) chips in 7.4 points per game and a team-high 28 assists. Freshman Emily Maggert (Paris, Ill./Paris) is averaging 6.3 points per game for the Cardinals off of the bench.
Illinois State enters the game with a 6-1 overall record. The Redbirds have picked up wins over Eastern Illinois, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Tennessee-Martin, South Florida, Loyola and Eastern Michigan. The Redbirds' lone loss came at the hands of DePaul. The Redbirds picked up five votes in last week's Associated Press Top 25 Poll.
The Redbirds are averaging 78.3 points per game this season while holding opponents to 63.9 points against. Illinois State is led by Cirone, who averages a team-high 16.0 points per game and is hitting 41.2 percent (14-of-34) from three-point land.
Guard Tiffany Hudson is second on the team in scoring at 15.7 points per game and leads the team with a 54.8 percent (17-of-31) clip from three-point land.
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