Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
13-10, 9-3MAC
Bowling Green
9-15, 2-11MAC
Justice Scores 1,000th Career Point In Win Over BGSU
February 14, 2015 | Women's Basketball
By Doug Zaleski
BallStateSports.com
When Brady Sallee became the women's basketball coach at Ball State three years ago, nearly everything he learned about Shelbie Justice came from what he saw because he rarely heard a peep out of the then-sophomore.
Now a senior, nobody would describe Justice as a chatterbox, but she has opened up verbally a little more. Yet her loudest statements come from her play on the court.
Like on Saturday in Worthen Arena. Justice became the 24th player in school history to score 1,000 career points while helping the Cardinals dump Bowling Green 77-52.
Justice scored a game-high 21 points, needing only 10 field-goal attempts to get there, while doing the little things in other areas that mark her consistency.
“She showed she was willing to be the blue-collar warrior, tough, share the ball, make the extra pass, and she caught on to our offense faster than anybody,” Sallee said of what he saw during the summer before Justice's sophomore season. “Then it was 'Holy Cow, I can't take her out.' ”
She's been a staple of the Cardinals program ever since. Justice, a Rushville High School product, has started 113 of 120 career games at Ball State.
Her career at Ball State has been a steady followup to high school, where she scored more than 1,200 points and had 577 rebounds for the Lions while being picked to the Indiana All-Star team after her senior season.
“When (Sallee) first got here, it was a huge culture shock for me because he was so intense and demanding,” Justice said. “Coach P (Kelly Packard) was demanding and everything, but not in the sense that Brady is.
“So just getting used to what he wanted and how he wanted it done took a little bit in the summer when he got here. But it clicked, and it's been easy for me since then.”
Justice is capable of shooting from the perimeter and taking the ball to the basket for the Cardinals (13-10, 9-3 Mid-American Conference West). She scored her 1,000th point after receiving a pass on the perimeter, then driving into the lane to score at the rim.
While Sallee appreciates Justice's offense, he's equally thrilled with her defensive concepts and leadership ability. She's willing to do whatever is necessary for the Cardinals to win games.
“There was a point in the second half where I let her hear it, and it wasn't because she was playing bad,” Sallee said. “I needed her to take over. I needed her to get the ball to the rim and take us to the free-throw line. She's just that kid. Whatever I need, she delivers.”
After a quiet first half when she scored five points in 19 minutes, Justice put up 16 points in the second half. She also finished the game with four rebounds, two assists and just one turnover.
Justice also is trying to become more vocal, even if it isn't her forte.
“We have a ways to go, but she's been really good with the players one-on-one, kind of 'I'll put my arm around you and let you know,' but there have been times this year where she's lit into them,” Sallee said. “I think it took them all back, and it was effective.”
Justice didn't look like big scorer when she started her career with the Cardinals. She missed every shot she took (0-for-21) in her first five games. She shot only 31 percent for the season and managed only 153 points.
But she got better every year, and last season was named to the All-MAC Tournament team after breaking the tourney record with 15 3-point baskets.
“I asked her the other day if (approaching 1,000 points) was making her nervous and she goes, 'Honestly, coach, I don't even know where I am,' and I believed her,” Sallee said. “She isn't wired that way.”
The Cardinals didn't encounter any problems against Bowling Green (9-15, 2-11 MAC East) as three other players joined Justice by scoring in double figures. Nathalie Fontaine had 13, Jill Morrison 11 and Renee Bennett 10. Fontaine also had eight rebounds, and Calyn Hosea led with four assists.
Ball State, which moved past Western Michigan into first place in the MAC West, will be at home again on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. game against Central Michigan.
