Ball State University
Tennessee State University
Cardinals Blitzin’ into Holidays with 90-51 Thumping of Tennessee State
December 21, 2018 | Women's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Tennessee State women's basketball team ventured into Worthen Arena for its final non-conference game having played a challenging schedule loaded with power conference opponents.
The Lady Tigers had taken their lumps, as evidenced by their winless record. But few teams (actually only one) dismantled them as badly as Ball State did in Friday's lopsided, 90-51 affair.
The Cardinals (4-7) handed Tennessee State (0-12) a worse defeat than they suffered four days earlier at No. 20 DePaul (22 points). Worse than at Vanderbilt or Arkansas. Worse than at Pittsburgh or Wisconsin.
The only team with a larger margin of victory against the Tigers so far is top-5 Louisville in a 107-52 decision earlier this month.
"We made them take the types of shots we wanted them to take, and then we rebounded them," Ball State head coach Brady Sallee said. "We played from defense to offense and got a lot of easy buckets that way. We controlled the paint, which I thought was a big key in the game. We talked about it before the game, and I thought we followed the plan very, very well."
Ball State jumped out to 20-point lead in the first quarter and stretched it to as many as 41 behind five double-figure scorers and the ninth double-double of the season from Oshlynn Brown. The sophomore post player had 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Jasmin Samz led the way with 17 points and matched her career-high with nine boards.
The Cardinals ran at every opportunity, turning Tennessee State misses and turnovers into opportunities in transition. When forced to play in the halfcourt, they shared the ball and got looks at the rim. BSU shot 51 percent for the game, scored 44 points in the paint, and featured eight scorers with at least five points.
"There's nothing better than easy buckets," Sallee said. "You bolster your whole offense when you can get a few layups, and now all of a sudden everything you're having to earn through execution, you're starting to supplement with easy buckets."
Maliah Howard-Bass scored 15 points, while Nakeya Penny turned in a strong all-around floor game with 12 points, a team-high five assists and five rebounds. Gabby Smith drained a pair of 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 10 points.
On the defensive end, Ball State frustrated Tennessee State into 21 percent shooting, 2-for-21 from 3-point range and 19 turnovers. The Cardinals held TSU leading scorer Taylor Roberts to eight points, eight below her average. Jazmine Young led the Tigers with 12 points.
Now the Cardinals are rolling into a holiday break with wins in two straight games and three of their past five.
Ball State will return to action Sunday, Dec. 30 with a 2 p.m. tipoff against Urbana in Worthen Arena in the team's final non-conference game. The Cardinals then open Mid-American Conference play Jan. 5 at Toledo.
"I just told them I was proud of them for the fight we've shown the past couple games," Sallee said. "I told them to travel safe, enjoy your family, enjoy your time. And then when we get back, it will be time to rock and roll."
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