Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
3-3
Oakland
3-4
Fontaine Scores 29 Points In WBB's Win Over Oakland
December 07, 2014 | Women's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. – Behind a season-high 29-point performance from junior Nathalie Fontaine, the Ball State women's basketball team defeated Oakland 75-50 Saturday in Worthen Arena.
"It was a really good win for us, I think from watching Oakland on film they had my attention with some of the things they do and they've got some players that again you watch them on film and they can really make you look a little silly," Ball State head women's basketball coach Brady Sallee said. "I thought we were really good defensivley which is evident from their shooting percentage. In the second half clearly we had a little bit more resolve to come out and be the bigger, tougher and stronger basketball team."
With the win the Cardinals evened their overall record to 3-3, while the Golden Grizzlies fell to 3-4 on the season.
In a game the Cardinals never trailed, Ball State's defense limited Oakland to .275 percent shooting from the field, including a 21 percent mark from three-point range.
Ball state scored the first basket of the game 47 seconds into the contest on a Fontaine basket and led for the remaining 39:03 of the contest.
Oakland managed an 8-0 run to cut Ball State's lead to two (15-13) with 7:05 on the clock in the first half, but Ball State put together its own run to go back up by nine (25-16) after Moriah Monaco nailed her second three pointer of the half. The Golden Grizzlies made it a two-point ball game at 25-23 with just over a minute remaining in the half, but a layup from freshman Brionna Simond gave Ball State the 27-23 advantage over Oakland at intermission.
Fontaine opened the second half with a quick basket which sparked a 16-5 scoring spree to put the Cardinals up by 15 (43-28) with just over 14 minutes left to play in the ball game. Oakland would come to within eight (46-38) at the 11:08 mark but that was as close as the Golden Grizzlies would get the remainder of the way.
Fontaine led all scorers in the game with 29 points plus tallied a game-high 13 rebounds and a team-best five assists. Monaco and Jill Morrison added 13 points apiece.
The Ball State women's basketball team will continue non-conference action when it travels to Butler Saturday for a 7 p.m. tipoff in Hinkle Fieldhouse.
