Ball State University Athletics
WBB Plays At MAC Tourney Champion Ohio Wednesday
January 06, 2016 | Women's Basketball
The Cardinals Nest
- Ball State embarks on its first Mid-American Conference road trip in league play when it heads to defending MAC Tournament Champion Ohio University on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. start against the Bobcats at the Convocation Center. The game will be televised on ESPN3.
- The Cardinals opened their 35th campaign on Saturday with an 75-69 victory over Toledo in at home in Worthen Arena. Ball State overcame an early 17-point deficit to beat the Rockets. With the win, Ball State improved to 9-3 and remained undefeated at home with a 6-0 ledger. This is the second-straight season the Cardinals have won their conference opener.
- Senior guard Nathalie Fontaine scored a game-high 21 points and 11 rebounds. Fontaine has now scored 20+ points in her last eight contests. Senior Shelby Merder chipped in a personal best 15 points after going 3-of-6 from the 3-point line. Sophomore Moriah Monaco and teammate junior Jill Morrison each ended the game with 10 points apiece.
.- After 12 games, three different Cardinals are averaging in double figures in scoring, led by Nathalie Fontaine at 23.4 points per game. Jill Morrison (12.3) and Moriah Monaco (12.1) are also averaging double figures each contest. Fontaine is also close to averaging a double-double, pulling down 9.8 rebounds per contest.
- Senior guard Nathalie Fontaine broke the Ball State women's basketball single-game scoring record after a career-high 43-point performance in the Cardinals 73-53 victory at Evansville, Dec. 21. Fontaine becomes the first Cardinal in 12 years to break the single-game scoring record, which was held by former women's basketball player Tama Bowie (1999-2003). Bowie scored 40 points twice, once in 2003 and in 2001. Fontaine's 43-points was the most scored in the Ford Center since it opened in 2011.
- Head coach Brady Sallee emphasis how important points in the paint mean to him and the Cardinals have listened this season. Ball State has outscored all of their opponents in the paint but three this season. Ball State vs. Charlotte (30-to-8), Ball State vs. Western Kentucky (30-to-14), Ball State vs. Austin Peay (30-to-18), Ball State vs. Florida (42-to-30), Ball State vs. UMass (30-to-16), Ball State vs. Ohio Valley (62-to-10), Ball State vs. Butler (26-to-12), Ball State vs. Lipscomb (30-to-14), Ball State vs. Purdue (32-fo-26), Ball State vs. Evansville (32-to-8), Ball State vs. Saint Louis (22-to-24) and Ball State vs. Toledo (28-to-28).
