Ball State University Athletics
Women's Basketball Battles Iowa State Tuesday
March 23, 2009 | Women's Basketball
EPSN360 Link For Tuesday's Game vs. No. 4 Seed Iowa State
Ball State vs. Iowa State Gametracker LinkEPSN360 Replay of Sunday's 71-55 Win Over No. 5 Seed Tennessee
Coverage of The Ball State Game: ESPN2/ESPN360 - 8:30 p.m.(CT) Clay Matvick will be doing the play-by-play and Sandy Sharp will be the analyst. WERK 104.9 Jay Garrison.
Scouting Ball State: In front of a sea of orange and a nationally televised audience, the No. 12 seeded Ball State women's basketball team claimed the biggest victory in program history over the most storied program in NCAA History with a 71-55 win over No. 5 seed and two-time defending national champions Tennessee Sunday evening in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament at E.A. Diddle Arena on the campus of Western Kentucky University. With the win, a school-record 12th-straight for the Cardinals, BSU improves to 26-8 on the season, including an 18-2 record when leading at the half and a 19-0 mark when holding its opponents to under 70 points this season. Tennessee, which losses in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history, falls to 22-11 with the loss. Tennessee was 51-0 in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament entering the contest. For the night, Ball State shot 44.4% from the field, while limiting Tennessee to a 34.8% field goal percentage. BSU also went 7-of-19 from down town (36.8%), while limiting UT to a 2-for-18 effort (11.1%). The Lady Vols did hold a 44-34 advantage in total rebounds. With the win Ball State improves to 3-0 when playing on Sunday with defeats over Buffalo, Bowling Green and No. 18-th Tennessee.
The Matchup: The Cardinals advance to the round of 32 Tuesday night against No. 4 seed Iowa State. The Cyclone's are ranked 17-th in the nation and have made three-straight NCAA appearances. Iowa State advanced to the second round after handing East Tennessee State a 85-53 loss Sunday in the first game at E.A. Diddle Arena. Iowa State improved to 25-8 overall. The Cyclones were eliminated in 2007-08 in the NCAA tournament after falling to Rutgers in the second round. This is the first ever meeting between Iowa State and Ball State.
Scouting Iowa State: The Cyclones enter the tournament as the No. 4 seed and defeated No. 13 East Tennessee State 85-53 Sunday in the first round of the tournament Sunday. Iowa State owns a 25-8 record and made it to the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship semifinal game before falling to seventh-ranked Baylor. Iowa State has been a No. 4 seed or higher six times and is 12-9 in NCAA tournament appearances. In 1999, the Cyclones were a No. 4 seed and advanced to their only Elite Eight berth. ISU has advanced to the second round of the tournament in each of the last two seasons. Ball State and Iowa State have never met. The Cyclones are coached by Bill Fennelly, a former head coach at Mid-American Conference member Toledo.
Ball State Women's Basketball List of Accomplishments
Mid-American Conference West Division Champions
? First NCAA Tournament Berth
? First Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship
? Best Home Record in Ball State Women's Basketball Program History 14-1
? Best Overall Record In Ball State Women's Basketball Program History 26-8
? Best Mid-American Conference showing in program history 14-2
? Senior Guard Porchia Green Named Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year
? Senior Guard Porchia Green Named First Team All-Mid American Conference
? Junior Forward Danielle Gratton Named Third Team All-Mid American Conference
? Sophomore Forward Emily Maggert Named Third Team All-Mid American Conference
? Junior Forward Danielle Gratton Named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V
? Ball State's RPI is currently 47th
? First Year Head Coach Kelly Packard the first coach in the women's basketball program to win 26-games in her debut season.
? The Cardinals have won 12 straight games, which ties the record for the longest win streak in program history.
? Since Dec. 22 the Cardinals have put over 1,000 fans in the stands in every home game this season. Ball State's best turnout was 1,527 in its last home game of the season.
? Ball State won 2-of-3 games in the 2008 Preseason WNIT. Junior guard Audrey McDonald broke the WNIT record in three-pointers made with 13 during the tournament.
? First NCAA victory in program history.
? With the win over Tennessee the Cardinals have now won 12-straight which is a school record for the women's basketball program.
? The win over Tennessee is the Cardinals first victory over a ranked opponent this season.
? With the Cardinals current 12 game win streak Ball State is out scoring its opponents 72.4 to 60.4.
? Ball State is 19-0 when holding opponents under 70 points this season.
? The Cardinals are 18-2 when leading at the half.
