LIVE AUDIO (WCRD)
MUNCIE, Ind. ? The Ball State women's basketball team continues its Mid-American Conference schedule on Saturday night as the Cardinals hit the road to battle MAC-West Division rival Toledo at 7 p.m. at Savage Hall. The game will be the Cardinals third road game in their first four MAC games this season.
“We are excited about getting back on the road against a very tough Toledo team,” acting head coach Lisa McDonald said. “Anytime that you go on the road in the MAC it is a tough battle. We have built some great momentum through the first three games and we have to work to continue that tomorrow night at Toledo.”
The Cardinals enter the game riding a three-game winning streak as they sit alone atop of the MAC-West with a 3-0 conference record. Ball State has picked up early season MAC wins at Western Michigan, at Northern Illinois and most recently at home against Eastern Michigan.
The Cardinals took home a 71-64 victory against EMU in their last outing as junior guard Porchia Green (Indianapolis, Ind./Arlington) posted her third double-double of the season. She scored a season-high 22 points while grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds in the victory. She is averaging a team-high 13.4 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per contest on the season. She is second in the MAC in scoring and rebounding in conference games this season as well as she averages 19.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
Senior forward Julie DeMuth (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) fell just short of a double-double against the Eagles as she scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds. She is second on the team in scoring at 11.8 points per game and in boards at 6.2 per game.
Saturday's game is the 56th meeting all-time between Ball State and Toledo. The Cardinals trail the all-time series by a 14-41 margin but have won the past three meetings. Ball State is 5-21 all-time at Toledo, including a 66-50 victory last season at Savage Hall.
The Cardinals completed the regular season sweep of Toledo last year for just the third time in program history (2001-02 & 1984-85). The Cardinals opened MAC play last year with an 80-59 victory over the Rockets at Worthen Arena and claimed the sweep with a 66-50 victory on the road on Valentine's Day.
DeMuth led the Cardinals against Toledo as she averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds in the two games. She shot 57.1 percent from the field and 77.8 percent from the free throw line. She posted a career-high 28 points and 19 rebounds in the second game of the season at Savage Hall.
Classmate Lisa Rusche (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) averaged 13.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest against Toledo. She led the Cardinals to the home victory with an 18-point, eight rebound effort against the Rockets in last season's MAC opener.
Toledo enters Saturday's game with an 8-7 overall record and a 1-2 mark in Mid-American Conference action. The Rockets won their MAC opener against Central Michigan before dropping games at Eastern Michigan and to Western Michigan.
Toledo is averaging 62.9 points per game this season while allowing 61.9 points per game against. The Rockets' leading scorer is guard Allie Clifton who averages 17.6 points per game. She is out three-to-four weeks due to a foot injury and has already missed the past two games.
Tamesha Scotton is second on the team in scoring at 9.7 points per game and second in rebounds at 7.5 boards per contest. She has missed the past few games due to a suspension. Ta'Yani Clark is third on the team in scoring at 8.2 points per game while Olivia Terry is fourth at 7.4 points per game.
Saturday's game will be broadcast online at www.ballstatesports.com and on the air on 91.3 WCRD FM.
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