Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
12-10 (8-3MAC)
Eastern Michigan
11-10 (4-6MAC)
WBB Improves To 8-3 In MAC Play With Win At EMU
February 12, 2015 | Women's Basketball
Ball State women's basketball team improved to 8-3 in Mid-American Conference play after tallying a 72-62 road victory over Eastern Michigan Wednesday night in the Convocation Center.
The Cardinals improved their overall record to 12-10 with the win while EMU fell to 11-10 overall and 4-6 in the MAC.
Nathalie Fontaine led the Ball State attack with a 19-point performance and tied her career-high in rebounding pulling down 15 boards on the night. Renee Bennett tallied a career-best 15-points while teammate Shelbie Justice contributed 11 points and Jill Morrison rounded out the double figures with 10.
Ball State managed 47 percent shooting from the field while holding Eastern Michigan to 39 percent shooting from the floor. The Cardinals scored 40 points in the paint, 21 points off of EMU's miscues and out-rebounded the Eagles 38-to-33.
Both teams displayed toughness in the first half, which consisted of four ties and six lead changes. The Cardinals finally took a seven-point (22-15) lead at the 7:49 mark which was capped off by a layup from Rennee Bennett off of the assist from Moriah Monaco.
Eastern Michigan quickly answered with a 12-0 run of its own to take a five-point advantage (27-22) over the Cardinals with 4:34 remaining in the half. Nathalie Fontaine would get fouled at the basket and would knock down both free throws to snap the Eagles run.
After that, with the help from Fontaine, Shelbie Justice and Bennett, Ball State was able to close the half with a 10-0 scoring spree to put the Cardinals up 32-27 over Eastern Michigan at the half.
The Cardinals carried their first half momentum into the second half with its largest cushion being 15 (50-35) at the 12:25 mark after a three-point basket from Morrison. Eastern Michigan slowly chipped away at the Cardinals lead after the Eagles put together a 19-10 run to come within six (60-54) with 5:00 left in the game.
The Cardinals regained control after a layup from Fontaine along with free throws and a layup from Bennett which put the Cardinals back up by 12 (66-54) with 3:24 remaining. Ball State managed to hit its free throws down the stretch to seal the victory making 4-of-5 free throws in the last two minutes of the game.
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 Bowling Green at 2 p.m. and the men will play following the women's game agaisnt BGSU at 4:30 p.m.
The game will be Ball State's "Think Pink" game as the athletics department is encouraging fans to where pink in support for breast cancer awareness. Fans who wear pink will receive a can of pop and a bag of popcorn. The Ball State athletics department has created a fundraising team where fans can support the Kay Yow Cancer Fund at http://www.play4kay.org/ballstatecardinals
