Ball State University
17-7, 9-4MAC
Northern Illinois
10-14, 3-10MAC
WBB Bounces Back With A 73-57 Win At NIU Wednesday
February 18, 2016 | Women's Basketball
DEKALB, Ill. - The Ball State women's basketball team snapped its two-game losing streak with a convincing 73-57 road win at Northern Illinois Wednesday night in the Convocation Center. With the win, the Cardinals improve to 17-7 overall and 9-4 in MAC action while the Huskies fall to 10-14 on the year and 3-10 in league play.
Ball State had four players in double figures, led by junior center Renee Bennett and senior forward Nathalie Fontaine each with 19-points apiece. Sophomore forward Moriah Monaco had 14 points while freshman Carmen Grande ended the night with 13, scoring 10 of those points in the first half. Both Bennett and Fontaine led the Cardinals charge defensively with nine rebounds. Fontaine has now brought her season career total to 2,019 points. She is now 72 points away from the record.
For the game, the Cardinals outscored the Huskies 34-to-18 in the paint, 10-4 in fast break points and 18 off of turnovers. Ball State shot 47.2 percent from the field while holding Northern Illinois to 31.0 percent from the floor. The Cardinals also shot 50.0 percent from behind the arc while holding the Huskies to 25.9 from the 3-point line.
The Cardinals opened the second half with back-to-back layups from Bennett and Fontaine to increase Ball State's nine-point halftime lead to 35-22. Northern Illinois then answered with a 10-2 run to come within five (37-32) with 6:11 left in the third quarter. But Ball State wouldn't let the Huskies get any closer than that the remainder of the contest eventually building a commanding 64-46 cushion with 6:37 left in the game. At that point the Cardinals were shooting 51.1 percent floor and had four players in double figures.
Junior guard Jill Morrison started the game with a 3-point basket to give Ball State an early 3-0 lead over Northern Illinois. The Cardinals and the Huskies were tied 5-5 with 5:51 remaining in the first quarter before Ball State answered with a 15-3 run to take a 18-8 advantage over Northern Illinois. Baskets from Grande and Fontaine helped the Cardinals with their run.
The Cardinals would remain in control the remainder of the half. Northern Illinois made it a six-point (28-22) contest with 38.3 seconds on the clock but Grande stole the inbound pass from the Huskies and ran it down to the opposite end of the court for a fast break layup and was fouled. Grande connected on the free throw to give the Cardinals the 31-22 lead over the Huskies at intermission.
The Ball State women's basketball, team returns to Worthen Arena Saturday in Mid-American Conference action when it hosts Western Michigan for a 1 p.m. tipoff in Worthen Arena. The game against the Broncos is the Cardinals annual "Think Pink" game. Ball State Athletics is encouraging fans to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness. This game is also part of the Burger King Family Game package. Stop by any of the local Muncie area Burger King locations for a ticket voucher. Frisbee dogs will be performing at halftime of this contest.
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