Women's Basketball Takes Down Milwaukee In Season Opener In OT

Tuesday, November 9

Muncie, Ind.

11:30 am

Ball State University

1-0,0-0MAC

Milwaukee

0-1,0-0Horizon

Team	1	2	3	4	OT 1	F
Milwaukee	17	14	20	21	3	75
Ball St.	12	14	25	21	12	84

Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services

Women's Basketball Takes Down Milwaukee In Season Opener In OT

November 09, 2021 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Ball State head coach Brady Sallee earns 300th career victory

MUNCIE, Ind. - In its annual Field Trip Day, the Ball State women's basketball team put on quite the show for the fans in its season-opener, defeating Milwaukee by a score of 84-75 in an overtime thriller Tuesday afternoon in Worthen Arena. With the win, Cardinals (1-0) 10th-year head coach Brady Sallee notched his 300th career victory, with 164 coming at BSU.

It was an up-and-down game throughout the entire 40 minutes of regulation, which included 10 ties and nine lead changes. The Panthers (0-1) would have a three-point advantage (71-68) with 15 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Sallee and his squad then outplayed the Panthers calling some strategic timeouts along with some forced fouls which would eventually put the ball in the hands of redshirt junior Anna Clephane as time was winding down.

Clephane's driving layup as time expired tied the game at 72-72 to send the contest into the extra period.

"You have to focus on what is in front of you," Clephane said after the contest. "You have to focus on the play of what is in front of you and your duty and what you can control."

Ball State would then open the extra period with back-to-back baskets from freshman Marie Kiefer and graduate student Chyna Latimer. Freshman Ally Becki, who led all players in her first collegiate contest with 17 points, gave the Cardinals a 78-73 advantage with 2:28 remaining.

Milwaukee would battle back within three (78-75) with just under two minutes remaining. The Cardinals answered quickly with four straight points from junior Sydney Freeman. In its last efforts, Milwaukee was forced to foul sending senior Thelma Dis Agustsdottir to the line where she knocked down both of her free throws to seal the win for Ball State.

The Cardinals had a slow start in the first half from behind the arc, making only one three-pointer, but came back in the second half knocking down seven.

"You must put the good plays and the bad plays behind you," Sallee said. "You just need to play the next play because it is critical. It is about putting together stops and good execution."

This year, the Cardinals are forgoing "traditional" positions and using their own such as backs, crashers, and keys, to bring a sense of team unity. Today that proved to be the lift Ball State needed, especially with so many new faces on the court.

All 11 Cardinals that played today either scored or had a rebound, with three reaching double figures in scoring. Along with Becki's 17-point performance, Agustsdottir had 14 and Clephane finished day with 12.

The Ball State women's basketball team remains at home Friday when it hosts Purdue Fort Wayne at 6:30 p.m. ET in Worthen Arena.

To get tickets to the game you can call 888.BSU.TICKET or 765.285.1474 to join the Cardinal Family inside Worthen Arena! Season and group tickets are on sale now. Single game tickets are also available at the numbers listed above,and online at Ticketmaster.com.