The Ball State University women's basketball team used a 16-2 run in the first half to take an 18-13 lead midway through the opening half Wednesday night.
As it has been for a large portion of the season, bench scoring led the way. More specifically, it was the hot outside shooting of senior guard Tina Bolte.
Bolte connected on four 3-pointers in the first half of Ball State's 84-59 win against Central Michigan University.
Throughout the year, the Ball State bench has played a key role in the Cardinals' 20 wins.
Bolte, senior Becca Bajorek, sophomore Kiley Jarrett, freshman Kalynne Proctor and junior Dana Moorman all came off the bench for the Cardinals. The five players that make up Ball State's second string average 17.85 points in the Cardinal's wins. However, the same group averages eight points per game in the team's five losses.
Roller said she has become accustomed to having her bench give the first-string a shot of energy in the arm when the Cardinals need it most.
"[The bench] has been the key to our wins," Roller said. "Them coming in and giving everybody minutes and playing solid defense. I can't say enough. We are a true team and that is because of our bench."
Four players average more than five minutes off the bench and Ball State has played eight players in 13 of its 25 games. Bolte was not only the leading scorer off the bench Wednesday night with 15 points - all off 3-pointers - but is also the leading scorer off the bench for the season averaging 5.84 points a game.
Bolte's minutes have been reduced from last season when she was a starter and the Cardinals' second-leading scorer with 10.9 points per game. She led the team in scoring the final three games of the season.
However, she is the only non-starter to play in every game and averages 17.6 minutes a game. Bolte said she has accepted her role as a three-point specialist off the bench.
"Everybody this year has a role and everybody understands their role," Bolte said. "Every time I come into the game I try to hit open shots. I was open a lot [Wednesday]."
Every shot Bolte took Wednesday was from outside the 3-point line and the senior hit five of those attempts. For the season Bolte has attempted 99 3-pointers converting on 42. Both 99 attempts and 42 3-point makes rank second on the team. Audrey McDonald leads the Cardinals in both categories with 129 attempts and 54 made.
While she might not get a lot of the attention outside the team, Roller said both her and Bolte's teammates understand her importance as a contributor off the bench.
"To me Tina has been the X-factor on our team," Roller said. "To come in off the bench, to be a great leader, step up where we needed, her defense has improved and tonight she played like a senior. She opened things up and got everyone else open too."
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