Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
15-10,8-7MAC
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Western Michigan University
14-11,8-8MAC
Four Score In Double Figures As Women’s Basketball Moves Past WMU, 73-67
February 21, 2022 | Women's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State women's basketball team (15-10, 8-7 MAC) started this week's home and away series against Western Michigan (14-11, 8-8 MAC) with a 73-67 victory over the Broncos Monday night in Worthen Arena.
The Cardinals were unstoppable tonight in the paint scoring 42 points. Another category that stood out was rebounds, with Ball State out rebounding Western Michigan, 43-34.
Ball State also had the lead over Western Michigan for 33:21 over the 40-minute duration tonight.
.?@BSUCoachBrady? said it was a hard fought well executed game and that's part of the equation that led to the Cardinals win tonight over the Broncos??????#ChirpChirp | #WeFly pic.twitter.com/YsnYtk2YJK
— Ball State WBB (@BallStateWBB) February 22, 2022
Both teams struggled from the floor in the opening 10 minutes of action but on the other hand both squads also played strong defensively as the game was tied 9-9 between the Cardinals and the Broncos at the conclusion of the first quarter.
Senior Thelma Dis Agustsdottir opened the second period with a jumper sparking a 10-2 run to give Ball State a 19-11 edge over Western Michigan at the 6:13 mark. After that, Ball State outplayed Western Michigan both on offense and defense.
Freshman Ally Becki had found some of her teammates under the basket and was a playmaker throughout the second quarter as she dished out assists to junior Sydney Freeman, junior Estel Puiggros along with graduate senior Chyna Latimer that would allow the Cardinals to build a 25-17 lead over the Broncos with 2:33 left.
WMU answered with a 5-0 run to make it a 25-22 ball game with 31 seconds left but Becki came in clutch yet again draining a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Cardinals the 28-22 advantage over the Broncos at intermission.
Ball State continued to control the tempo of the game in the third quarter, or should I say Becki continued to run the floor like a sergeant as she found freshman Marie Kiefer and Agustsdottir for back-to-back baskets to give BSU the 41-32 edge over WMU at the 3:32 mark.
Western Michigan never gave up and would continuously snip at the heels of Ball State cutting the Cardinals once 13-point lead (47-34) with 2:22 left in the third frame down to six (48-42) as both teams headed into the final 10 minutes of action.
The Cardinals still had a slight edge (57-50) at the media timeout in the fourth stanza. Kiefer's rebound and put back along with another quick basket in the paint from the true freshman started a 9-6 run for the Cardinals that eventually extended BSU's lead to 10 (66-56) under the two-minute mark.
The Broncos tried to hang on but lost their grip soon after allowing Ball State to stay atop of Western Michigan to seal tonight's victory.
For the game, Agustsdottir led Ball State with 14 points while Becki, Kiefer and Latimer each had 12 points apiece. Kiefer had a double-double after pulling down 11 rebounds, she also added five blocks. Becki dished out a game-high eight assists and had two steals.
The Ball State women's basketball team will face Western Michigan again on Wednesday in Kalamazoo, Mich. at University Arena. Tipoff for that game is at 7 p.m. ET.
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