Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
5-7, 1-0MAC
Bowling Green
7-5, 0-1MAC
WBB Opens MAC Play With A 62-50 Win At BGSU``
January 03, 2015 | Women's Basketball
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Ball State women's basketball team won its Mid-American Conference opener at Bowling Green by a score of 62-50 Saturday evening at the Stroh Center.
“It was a great win for us,” said head Ball State women's basketball coach Brady Sallee. “We had to show a level of toughness to win on the road in a tough environment. It was a great start to league play.”
The win against the Falcons was the first time the Cardinals had defeated Bowling Green on the road in MAC regular season since 2003-04.
The Cardinals scored 23 points off of the Falcons 19 turnovers while adding 36 points to Bowling Green's 20 points in the paint. Ball State has out shot all but four of its opponents this season including today when the Cardinals shot 45.8 percent from the floor while holding Bowling Green to a 32.7 shooting percentage.
The Falcons opened the second stanza with a 7-2 run to come within one-point (34-33) with not even a minute shaved off the clock. Ball State quickly answered back with a 21-6 run to go back up by 16 (55-39) with 8:02 remaining after baskets from Shelbie Justice, Renee Bennett, Nathalie Fontaine, Jill Morrison and Frannie Frazier.
Morrison nailed one from behind the arc at the 2:18 mark to give Ball State its largest lead of the ball game 18 (62-44). Bowling Green would fight to the very end but would fall to the Cardinals by 12.
Candyce Ussery knocked down a three-point basket in the Cardinals first possession of the contest to give Ball State the early 3-0 lead over Bowling Green. After that, the Cardinals took a 14-point (24-10) advantage over the Falcons with just 10 minutes remaining in the half.
Morrison found Bennett in the paint with 4:48 on the clock to give Ball State its largest lead of the half (30-15). The Falcons closed out the half with an 11-2 run to cut Ball State's lead to eight (32-26) at intermission.
Rennee Bennett led Ball State in scoring tying her career-high with a 14-point performance. Fontaine and Morrison each contributed 12-points to the Cardinals victory. Fontaine also led the Cardinals defensively with seven rebounds.
The Ball State women's basketball team will play their first Mid-American Conference home game Wednesday when the Cardinals welcome Miami to Worthen Arena for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
