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MUNCIE, Ind. ? The Ball State women's basketball team hits the road Wednesday night as the Mid-American Conference West Division leading Cardinals battle the East Division leading Ohio Bobcats at the Convocation Center at 7 p.m. The game is the regular season meeting between the two preseason divisional favorites as voted on by the league coaches.
“We are excited about playing an extremely talented Ohio team that is strong at every position,” acting head coach Lisa McDonald said. “Ohio plays really well at home and we know that we will have to bring our best against them. We are excited for another battle between two teams at the top of their divisions.”
The Cardinals (9-10, 5-1 MAC) enter the game riding a two-game winning streak and sit atop the MAC-West Division in a tie with Western Michigan. Ball State is coming off one of its biggest wins of the season last Saturday as the Cardinal turned in a 21-point victory over three-time defending MAC Tournament champion Bowling Green.
The Cardinals dominated play against Bowling Green as five different players scored in double figures and held the Falcons just their lowest output of the season at 47 points. Junior guard Kiley Jarrett (Bloomington, Ind./North) scored a team-high 14 points while also dishing out a game-high seven assists in the victory.
The Cardinals controlled play in the paint as they out-scored Bowling Green 38-14 in that category. Ball State also out-rebounded Bowling Green by a 47-33 margin and only allowed eight offensive rebounds for the Falcons.
The Cardinals had three post players score in double figures in the victory as senior forward Julie Demuth (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) scored 13 points while classmate Lisa Rusche (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) and freshman Emily Maggert (Paris, Ill./Paris) each added 10 points in the victory.
Junior guard Porchia Green (Indianapolis, Ind./Arlington) leads the Cardinals on the year in both scoring (12.8) and rebounding (6.5). She also leads the team in field goal percentage (.511), three-point percentage (.475) and assists (80).
Wednesday's game is the 50th meeting all-time between Ball State and Ohio. The tightly contested series has the Cardinals trailing 24-25 all-time against the Bobcats. The Cardinals have won nine out of their last 10 meetings with Ohio as they had a nine-game winning steak snapped last season with a 77-66 Ohio victory at Worthen Arena. Ball Sate is 11-12 all-time against Ohio in Athens.
Last season, The Cardinals saw their 10-game winning streak come to an end as they suffered their first Mid-American Conference loss of the season with a 77-66 defeat at home to the Ohio Bobcats.
The Cardinals (16-3, 7-1 MAC) struggled from the field in the loss as they connected on just 23-of-62 (37.1%). BSU was also off from the charity stripe as it hit just 60 percent (15-of-25) from the line in the loss. Ohio countered with solid shooting on the afternoon as it connected on 48.1 percent (25-of-52) from the field and 85.2 percent (23-of-27) from the charity stripe.
The Bobcats claimed the victory with a 16-2 run over the next four minutes to take a 67-55 lead with 1:49 remaining. Ohio sealed the game from the charity stripe as it hit 21-of-24 (87.5%) from the line in the second half. DeMuth paced the Cardinals as she posted her seventh double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. She finished five-of-13 from the field and nine-of-13 from the charity stripe in the loss.
Ohio enters the game with an 11-8 overall record and a 4-2 mark in MAC play. The Bobcats, the preseason pick in the East Division, are tied for the top spot in the East with Bowling Green as they have won four straight MAC games after opening the year 0-2.
Ohio is averaging 69.8 points per game this season while allowing 64.2 points per game against. The Bobcats lead the MAC in rebounding at 42.0 caroms per game as a team. Lauren Kohn, a preseason All-MAC selection, leads the team in scoring at 15.9 points per game and is second in rebounding at 6.2 boards per contest. Quintana Ward is second on the team in scoring at 8.5 points per game.
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