Thursday, December 8
Muncie, Ind.
7:00 PM
Ball State University
5-3
42
vs
58
Purdue
7-4
1
2
3
4
F
Purdue
15
12
20
11
58
Ball State
8
10
11
13
42
Ball State Women’s Hoops Falls to Defensive-Minded Purdue
December 08, 2016 | Women's Basketball
Renee Bennett scores game-high 16 points to lead Cardinals
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Thursday was just one of those nights for the Ball State women's basketball team.
The Cardinals played well enough defensively, limiting Purdue to 37 percent shooting. They held a slight advantage on the glass and in the turnover column.
But they simply could not get a shot to fall. Ball State struggled to a season-low 23 percent from the floor in a 58-42 loss to the Big Ten's Boilermakers at Worthen Arena.
Cardinals head coach Brady Sallee credited Purdue's defensive execution with taking his team out of its rhythm on the offensive end.
"We just couldn't make shots," Sallee said. "And I don't think it was because we had an off night. I think it's because Purdue and their plan made us look like we did tonight. They defended the heck out of us, as well as we've been defended all year.
"I thought they were the tougher team on the defensive end, and it took us out of what we were trying to do offensively."
Senior center Renee Bennett led all players with 16 points for Ball State (5-3), while Jill Morrison finished with nine. Moriah Monaco added eight points and nine rebounds, and Destiny Washington grabbed a game-high 12 boards.
Despite making only 7 of 34 shots in the opening half, Ball State stayed in the game with its defense. The Cardinals went to the locker room trailing 27-18 with hopes that improved offensive play in the second half could reverse their fortunes.
But Purdue (7-4) scored the first six points of the second half to extend its lead to 15 and kept the Cardinals at arm's length the rest of the way.
"Clearly, they came out of the locker room and wanted to really make sure that game was over, and they came out and did it on the defensive end," Sallee said. "As offensively sensitive as we got at times, they never did. They just kept playing and kept grinding it out."
Ball State went without a 3-point field goal until the final minutes of the game when Monaco drained a pair. She extended her team's streak to 110 consecutive games with a made 3-pointer dating back to March 2013.
Monaco and Morrison struggled to get clean looks from the outside, as the Cardinals' top two outside shooting threats combined to make 2 of 13 from beyond the arc.
"I think it was clear their game plan was to take Jill and Moriah out and really not give them any space," Sallee said. "In that instance you have to be able to screen and really execute. I thought we did a pretty good job of throwing the ball in to Renee."
Bennett scored 12 of her 16 points in the first half to keep Ball State in the game, accounting for two-thirds of her team's points before the break
Dominique Oden led Purdue with 15 points on the night, while Ashley Morrissette added 13 and Andreona Keys had 11. Ae'Rianna Harris pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds.
Ball State returns to action Sunday at Oakland with a 3 p.m. tipoff. The Cardinals are home again Dec. 18 to host Lipscomb at 2 p.m.
The Cardinals played well enough defensively, limiting Purdue to 37 percent shooting. They held a slight advantage on the glass and in the turnover column.
But they simply could not get a shot to fall. Ball State struggled to a season-low 23 percent from the floor in a 58-42 loss to the Big Ten's Boilermakers at Worthen Arena.
Cardinals head coach Brady Sallee credited Purdue's defensive execution with taking his team out of its rhythm on the offensive end.
"We just couldn't make shots," Sallee said. "And I don't think it was because we had an off night. I think it's because Purdue and their plan made us look like we did tonight. They defended the heck out of us, as well as we've been defended all year.
"I thought they were the tougher team on the defensive end, and it took us out of what we were trying to do offensively."
Senior center Renee Bennett led all players with 16 points for Ball State (5-3), while Jill Morrison finished with nine. Moriah Monaco added eight points and nine rebounds, and Destiny Washington grabbed a game-high 12 boards.
Despite making only 7 of 34 shots in the opening half, Ball State stayed in the game with its defense. The Cardinals went to the locker room trailing 27-18 with hopes that improved offensive play in the second half could reverse their fortunes.
But Purdue (7-4) scored the first six points of the second half to extend its lead to 15 and kept the Cardinals at arm's length the rest of the way.
"Clearly, they came out of the locker room and wanted to really make sure that game was over, and they came out and did it on the defensive end," Sallee said. "As offensively sensitive as we got at times, they never did. They just kept playing and kept grinding it out."
Ball State went without a 3-point field goal until the final minutes of the game when Monaco drained a pair. She extended her team's streak to 110 consecutive games with a made 3-pointer dating back to March 2013.
Monaco and Morrison struggled to get clean looks from the outside, as the Cardinals' top two outside shooting threats combined to make 2 of 13 from beyond the arc.
"I think it was clear their game plan was to take Jill and Moriah out and really not give them any space," Sallee said. "In that instance you have to be able to screen and really execute. I thought we did a pretty good job of throwing the ball in to Renee."
Bennett scored 12 of her 16 points in the first half to keep Ball State in the game, accounting for two-thirds of her team's points before the break
Dominique Oden led Purdue with 15 points on the night, while Ashley Morrissette added 13 and Andreona Keys had 11. Ae'Rianna Harris pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds.
Ball State returns to action Sunday at Oakland with a 3 p.m. tipoff. The Cardinals are home again Dec. 18 to host Lipscomb at 2 p.m.
Team Stats
PURDUE
BALLST
FG%
.368
.231
3FG%
.421
.133
FT%
.667
.714
RB
44
45
TO
14
13
STL
5
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballThis Week in Ball State Sports // Mike Uremovich, Ally Becki, Qua Ashley & Kelli Miller Phillips
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Friday, June 27
Worthen Arena // Floor Update Timelapse
Wednesday, June 04