Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
6-7, 2-0MAC
Miami
3-10, 0-2MAC
Strong Defense Leads WBB To Win Over Miami
January 08, 2015 | Women's Basketball
By Doug Zaleski
BallStateSports.com
Ball State coach Brady Sallee said he went into the Christmas break and stewed for four days about the way his women's basketball team was playing defense.
“I just didn't like our effort level,” he said. “It was hard to watch us play.”
The result of that reflection was a revamped philosophy about the way the Cardinals play defense. The change has produced immediately results, evidenced by a 72-41 victory Wednesday against Miami in Worthen Arena and a 2-0 record in the Mid-American Conference.
The Cardinals' former strategy on defense was to get in gaps and play underneath offensive players, making them shoot over defenders.
“Now we're trying to work hard to get deflections,” Sallee said. “When we get them, you see us working hard trying to get those loose balls. It makes a difference on both ends of the floor for us.”
That was apparent against the RedHawks (3-10, 0-2 MAC). Ball State (6-7, 2-0) forced Miami into 31 turnovers and enjoyed a 29-5 advantage in points off those miscues.
Bowling Green made 19 turnovers in a loss to Ball State on Saturday, marking 50 miscues by the Cardinals' past two opponents.
“Once we got a little bit used to (the new defensive mindset), we caught on to it and were like, 'Yeah, this is something we could really do well at,' ” said Ball State forward Shelbie Justice, who led with three steals and added 15 points. “We have a lot of improvement to do, but I think we'll grow and like it, and get good things from it.”
Sallee likes the way his players have adopted the new defense. He said they're even having fun in practice with it.
“We have a ways to go, but it's good to see us get out and use some of our length to help us a little bit,” he said.
Miami committed 14 turnovers in the first half to Ball State's three as the Cardinals rolled to a 38-22 lead at the break. The lead ballooned to 24 points five minutes into the second half and grew to as many as 32 late in the game.
Nathalie Fontaine led the Cardinals with 27 points, three shy of her career high. She made 10-of-15 field goals and 7-of-8 free throws.
“I was more in attack mode in this game and not settling for shots I was settling for in other games,” she said. “I took it to the rim stronger.”
At 2-0 with a win over perennial title challenger Bowling Green, the Cardinals like their start in the conference. But they say they aren't satisfied.
Sallee admires his players' ability to look beyond their 4-7 pre-MAC record that included losses to strong programs Purdue, Louisville, Pittsburgh and Western Kentucky.
“This team needs to be applauded,” he said. “It could have been easy for them to go under water a little bit.
“But (Fontaine and Justice) kept leading and kept telling them, '(the coach) might be crazy with the way he schedules, but there's a method to the madness. Just keep coming to work and getting better.' ”
Ball State will return to action Saturday when the Cardinals play host to a men's-women's doubleheader in Worthen Arena. The women will play Western Michigan at 2 p.m. and the men play Central Michigan at 4:30.
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