LIVE AUDIO
MUNCIE, Ind. ? The Ball State women's basketball team will open Mid-American Conference play Wednesday evening as the Cardinals travel to Kalamazoo, Mich., to face MAC-West Division rival Western Michigan. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at University Arena and will be broadcast on Comcast Local (Muncie ? Ch. 5).
“We are excited about finally starting MAC play,” associate head coach and acting head coach Lisa McDonald said. “Western Michigan is a very tough team and Kalamazoo is always a tough place to play. We are looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead of us and are ready to get back out on the floor after break.”
The Cardinals are coming off of an 11-day layoff as they last played Dec. 29 in a 66-49 loss to instate rival Butler at Worthen Arena. Senior forward Lisa Rusche (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) led the Cardinals in the loss as she posted her third double-double of the season with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
The Cardinals enter Wednesday's game with a 4-9 overall record. They are averaging 61.2 points per game this season, while allowing opponents to score 66.8 points per game against. Senior forward Julie DeMuth (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) leads the Cardinals' attack as she averages 12.3 points per game. She also leads the team in rebounding at 6.3 boards per contest.
Junior guard Porchia Green (Indianapolis, Ind./Arlington) is second on the team in scoring at 12.1 points per game and third in rebounding at 5.7 boards per game. She leads the team in assists with 53, in steals with 22 and in minutes per game at 34.8. Rusche rounds out the Cardinals' double figure scorers as she averages 10.6 points per game, while chipping in 6.0 rebounds per contest.
Western Michigan comes into the game with a 3-11 record overall. The Broncos have dropped five straight games with losses to Temple, Chicago State, Seton Hall, San Diego State and Marquette.
The Broncos are averaging 67.5 points per game while allowing opponents to score 74.6 points per game. Guard Tiera DeLaHoussaye leads the team in scoring at 11.2 points per game. She also leads the team in assists with 56, steals with 46 and is second in rebounding at 5.6 boards per game. Forward Amanda Parker is second on the team in scoring at 9.5 points per game, while guard Molly Dwyer adds 8.4 points per game.
Wednesday's game is the 58th meeting all-time between Ball State and Western Michigan. The Cardinals trail the all-time series by a 25-32 margin, but have won five out of the last six meetings between the two teams. Ball State is just 8-17 all-time against the Broncos in Kalamazoo, but has won four out of the last six meetings in University Arena.
Last season, the Cardinals and Broncos met three times with Ball State winning at home and in Cleveland in the Mid-American Conference Tournament Quarterfinals. Western Michigan took home the victory in Kalamazoo late in the regular season.
DeMuth powered the Cardinals in the three games against WMU as she averaged 18.7 points per game and 12 rebounds per contest last season. Rusche averaged 13.7 points per game and nine rebounds per contest as well as tallying seven blocks and five steals. Green averaged 10.6 points per game and 4.3 assists per contest against the Broncos.
####
