Ball State University
Akron
Defense Carries Women’s Basketball to 60-52 Win over Akron
February 08, 2020 | Women's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. – On a day when both offenses struggled to score, the Ball State women's basketball defense proved to be the difference in its 60-52 victory over Akron Saturday afternoon inside Worthen Arena. The Cardinals are now 6-0 at home against league competition.
Ball State (15-7, 7-3 MAC) held Akron (10-11, 3-7) to just one field goal made over the final 9:50 of the contest. That basket came with six seconds left and the outcome already decided.
"We found a way to win," Ball State head coach Brady Sallee said. "Today we found a way by Deuce [Benson] going and getting second-chance opportunities and making a ton of hustle plays. Those are the types of plays you have to have to win."
Two players on the Ball State bench played an important role in the win – Arbrie Benson and Anna Clephane. Benson finished with eight points and a season-high 10 rebounds, five of which came on the offensive glass. Clephane kept the Cardinals hanging around in the third quarter with seven of her eight points.
.?@BSUCoachBrady? comments about today's win over Akron on how the Cardinal weren't strong offensively but his team found a way to get the job done!#ChirpChirp | #WeFly pic.twitter.com/RCjhSfpwJy
— Ball State WBB (@BallStateWBB) February 8, 2020
Akron used a 15-0 run bridging the first and second quarters to pull away from the Cardinals, 29-14. However, Ball State returned the favor by ending the first half on its own 15-0 run to even the score at 29-all.
The Zips went up by seven in the third quarter when Clephane single-handedly scored seven straight late in the stanza to even the score again at 40-all.
Jordyn Dawson's lay-in right at the start of the fourth quarter put Akron in front, 44-40. From there, Akron would go ice cold, missing its next eight shots from the field and seven consecutive free throw attempts as well. Ball State capitalized by tallying nine straight points to take its first lead since 8-7 in the first quarter. Benson highlighted the winning stretch by following her own missed jumper with a putback lay-up to give the Cardinals a 45-44 lead with 8:19 left.
Another Benson offensive rebound and lay-up kept the Cardinals in front by six points, 53-47, with 1:37 remaining. Thelma Dis Agustsdottir iced the game on Ball State's next possession by hitting her only jumper of the game and stretching the cushion to eight points.
All nine Ball State players who logged playing time made at least one field goal. Blake Smith was the only Cardinal in double-figures with 10 points.
Haliegh Reinoehl paced Akron with 13 points and eight rebounds. Ball State's defense forced the Zips into 23 turnovers, two shy of their season high.
Ball State now hits the road for a pair of games this week. First up is a trip to Toledo on Wednesday, Feb. 12 on ESPN+ at 7 p.m.
For the most up-to-date news on the Ball State women's basketball team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWBB and @BSUCoachBrady.
