cleveland - Head coach Tracy Roller wanted the women's basketball team to improve on its weaknesses, and after dismantling Eastern Michigan's offense Wednesday night, the Cardinals did not show to many of them.
Seeking what the team called "a little revenge" for the one-point loss to Eastern Feb. 16, the Cards handed the Eagles a 83-57 defeat in the second round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
"(The Eastern game) was the turning point in our season," Roller said. "After the loss to Kent and then at Eastern, we came home for two games, really worked hard and became a better team."
After holding Eastern (18-11) to only 25 percent shooting in the first half, the Cardinals (22-6) opened a 25-point halftime lead the Eagles would never dent.
"We really came in playing like we had something to prove," Roller said. "From the get-go, (the team) really went after Eastern."
Leading the Cardinals (22-6) on both ends of the floor was the duo of senior Shala Crook and junior Tamara Bowie. Crook - the newly anointed MAC Defensive Player of the Year - shut down Eastern's best player, Stephanie Smiley, who did not score a point until three minutes into the second half.
Crook collected four steals to leave her one shy of Jenny Eckert's 1990 record for career steals.
It was Bowie's 19 points on 7-7 shooting that paced the Cardinals, as she did what she has done all season - make hard shots look easy and make good defenders look bad.
"I've had trouble playing against a zone in the past," Bowie said. "I just tried to keep moving and get the open shot."
Nonetheless, it was the Cardinals' defense that won the game, as Eastern never got a good look at the basket on any shot they took. Sophomore Jessica Reiter neutralized Eastern's post players with a strong defensive and rebounding effort that led the Cardinals to a 45-32 rebounding advantage.
"We were struggling early with rebounds," Reiter said. "I just said to myself, 'I'm going to step it up and take it,' and it worked."
But the Eagles could not overcome Ball State's 49-percent shooting from the floor, as the constant pressure on the perimeter by the Cardinals forced the Eagles into taking poor shots.
"We were talking, letting people know they had help if they got beat," Crook said. "We just had really good communication."
The Cardinals play Northern Illinois game Friday at 2:30 p.m., and Roller said after the Ball State game that she would not be surprised to see Northern pull the upset over the favored Rockets.
"(Toledo head coach) Mark Ehlen is a veteran coach and will have his team ready," Roller said. "But we're not looking past Northern. (Northern Illinois head coach) Carol Hammerle's defense will do a great job, and I'm excited to watch the game."
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