Ball State University Athletics
WBB Faces EMU In MAC Tourney Quarterfinals Wednesday
March 09, 2016 | Women's Basketball
The Cardinals Nest
- The No. 3 seeded Ball State women's basketball team earned an automatic bye as the third seed advancing straight to the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Quicken Loans Arena. Ball State enters the contest on a three-game win streak after closing the MAC regular season with wins over Eastern Michigan (67-63), Northern Illinois (76-68) and Toledo (68-58). The Cardinals will face No. 6 Eastern Michigan Wednesday night in Quicken Loans Arena at 7:30 p.m. Ball State owns a 2-0 ledger over the Eagles this season. The Cardinals lost to Eastern Michigan in the semifinal round last season at the MAC Tournament. by a score of 75-65.
This marks the 26th appearance in the Mid-American Conference Tournament in program history. Ball State has advanced to Cleveland in 15 out of the past 17 seasons. The Cardinals are 20-24 all-time in MAC Tournament play and have advanced to the MAC Tournament finals on five occasions. Ball State defeated Bowling Green in 2009 in the MAC Tournament Championship game. This is the third time in current head coach Brady Sallee's tenure the Cardinals have punched their ticket straight to the MAC Tournament in Cleveland. Prior to that, Ball State had not received a bye in the MAC Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena since 2009, when the Cardinals won the event as the No. 2 seed.
Nathalie Fontaine was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week, marking the seventh time Fontaine has earned the weekly honor this season and 13th of her career. Against Northern Illinois, Fontaine became Ball State women's basketball all-time leading scorer in a last second layup at the buzzer last Wednesday night in Worthen Arena. The last second basket gave Fontaine 2,092 points, one more than former Cardinal Tamara Bowie. She had 23 points and 10 rebounds against the Huskies for her 35th double-double of her career. Fontaine helped Ball State defeat Northern Illinois, 76-68. On Saturday, Fontaine recorded her 36th career double-double after scoring 22 points and pulling down 14 rebounds in a 68-58 win at Toledo. For the week, Fontaine averaged 22.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per contest.
In the last two seasons, head coach Brady Sallee has compiled a 14-7 record for the month of March. In 2013-14, the Cardinals began the month with wins over Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Toledo before heading into the MAC Tournament where they won four-straight before suffering a loss to Akron in the championship game. Ball Stat went 3-3 in the month of March in 2012-13, which included two win in the Women's National Invitation Tournament, advancing the Cardinals to the Final 16. Last season, Ball State began the month with wins over Central Michigan and Toledo before falling to Eastern Michigan in the semifinals of the MAC Tournament.
