WCRD AUDIO
KENT, Ohio ? The Ball State women's basketball team wraps up play against Mid-American Conference East Division foes Saturday afternoon as the Cardinals travel to Kent State for an inter-divisional contest. Game time is set for 12 p.m. at the M.A.C. Center and will be televised on FSN Ohio as part of the MAC's television package.
The Cardinals enter the weekend with a 10-13 record overall on the season and a 6-4 mark in MAC play. Ball State currently sits one game out of first place in the MAC-West Division as it trails both Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan in the standings. Kent State enters the game with a 6-16 overall record and a 3-7 mark in conference play.
Ball State is coming off of a 69-58 loss at Miami on Wednesday night, marking its third loss in the past four games. The Cardinals got off to a slow start against Miami as they fell behind by 20-points in the first half. Junior guard Porchia Green (Indianapolis, Ind./Arlington) paced the Cardinals' comeback attempts as she posted a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Green leads the team in scoring this year at 13.0 points per game and also leads the team on the boards at 6.8 rebounds per contest. Senior forward Julie DeMuth (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) is second on the team in scoring at 11.8 points per game and needs just 26 minutes to become the 11th Cardinal all-time to reach 3,000-career minutes played.
Senior forward Lisa Rusche (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) rounds out the Cardinal scorers in double figures as she averages 10.9 points per game. Sophomore guard Audrey McDonald (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) adds 9.1 points per game on the year and has connected on 41.2 percent (54-of-131) from three-point land. Her 54 three-pointers made are already eighth most in a single season in BSU history.
Freshman forward Emily Maggert (Paris, Ill./Paris) is fifth on the team in scoring at 9.0 points per game on the season and is second in scoring in MAC play at 13.3 points per game. She has reached double figures in points in eight of the Cardinals' 10 MAC games this season, including two games of 20-plus points. Junior guard Kiley Jarrett (Bloomington, Ind./North) adds 8.2 points per game and has handed out 91 assists on the year.
Saturday's game is the 46th meeting all-time between Ball State and Kent State. The Cardinals trail the all-time series by an 11-34 margin but have gone 3-3 against the Golden Flashes over the past six seasons. Ball State is just 3-21 all-time against KSU on the road in program history.
Last year, the Cardinals picked up a 74-69 victory over Kent State at Worthen Arena to run their 2006-07 record to 18-4 overall and 9-2 in MAC play. The Cardinals used a stifling defense and an opportunistic offense to claim the victory.
The Cardinals out-scored the Golden Flashes 38-24 in the second half as they held KSU to just nine field goals in the frame and just 33.3 percent shooting. In contrast, BSU connected on 57.1 percent from the field in the second half, including three-of-four from long range. The Cardinals also attacked the glass in the second half as they out-rebounded Kent State 20-9 in the half.
Ball State used a balanced scoring attack as seven players scored seven or more points in the victory. Rusche led the way for the Cardinals as she posted her third career double-double in the victory. She scored a team-high 14 points grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, including nine in the second half to pace the strong rebounding effort.
DeMuth also came up strong for the Cardinals who out-scored KSU, 38-24 in the paint. She scored 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out three assists and notched three steals in the all-around effort.
Kent State enters the game with a 6-16 overall record and a 3-7 mark in Mid-American Conference play. The Golden Flashes have dropped three straight games, including back-to-back overtime losses to Central Michigan and Northern Illinois.
Kent State is averaging 63.1 points per game this season and allowing 69.3 points per game against. Anna Kowalska leads Kent State in scoring at 17.8 points per game and in rebounding at 9.1 boards per contest. She has missed the past five games due to an injury.
Asheley Harkins is second on the team in scoring at 11.7 points per game while Chanel Harris is third in scoring at 9.5 points per game. Rachel Bennett and Ellie Shields each add 8.0 points per game for the Golden Flashes.
####
