Ball State University
19-8, 11-5MAC
Eastern Michigan
18-9, 9-7MAC
Monaco Scores Career Best 28 Points In Win At EMU
February 27, 2016 | Women's Basketball
YPSILANTI, Mich. - Sophomore forward Moriah Monaco scored a career high 28 points off of 8-of-15 shooting from the 3-point line in the Cardinals 67-63 win at Eastern Michigan Saturday afternoon in the Convocation Center.
The eight 3's were a career best and tied for second-highest single-game total in program history. Cardinals' assistant Audrey McDonald-Spencer holds the record with nine.
With the win, Ball State clinched a first-round bye to the the upcoming 2016 Mid-American Conference Tournament improving its overall record to 19-8 and 11-5 in conference play. Eastern Michigan's five-game win streak was snapped and falls to 18-9 overall and 9-7 in league action.
Senior guard Nathalie Fontaine was the only other Ball State player to score in double figures after scoring 14 points while pulling down 12 rebounds for her 33rd double-double of her career. After today's performance, Fontaine has 2,069 and is 23 points shy of becoming Ball State's women's basketball all-time leading scorer.
The game would come down to the fourth quarter Ball State had built an 11-point advantage (50-41) with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter with help from freshman guard Carmen Grande and Monaco. The Cardinals even led 51-45 at the conclusion but lost the lead shortly after that.
Eastern Michigan opened the fourth quarter with an 11-3 run to take 56-54 lead with 6:08 left to play in the ball game. Senior forward Shelby Merder and Grande hit back-to-back 3-point baskets to put the Cardinals back up by four (60-56). Eastern Michigan tied the game back up 61-61 with 1:03 on the clock but Monaco would nail her eighth 3-pointer of the day to give the lead back to Ball State.
With 36 seconds left, Eastern Michigan made it a 64-63 contest but key rebounds from Grande and Fontaine along with clutch free throws from Merder sealed the victory for the Cardinals.
The Eagles led by as many as six twice in the first quarter. The last time was a 16-10 advantage over the Cardinals at the 3:40 mark. Ball State then closed the quarter with an 11-3 scoring spree after baskets from Fontaine, Merder and Monaco, giving the Cardinals the 21-19 lead heading into the second quarter.
Both teams traded baskets in the second quarter, even though Eastern Michigan out- scored Ball State 15-to-14, the Cardinals took a slim 35-34 lead over the Eagles at intermission. Monaco led all scorers at the half with 17 points after knocking down five three point baskets and going 2-for-2 from the free throw line.
The Ball State women's basketball team will host Northern Illinois Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Worthen Arena for its last home regular season game of the year. The Cardinals will pay tribute to their two seniors, Nathalie Fontaine and Shelby Merder prior to tipoff.
