Throughout the season, Ball State University has won games on its offensive depth and defensive intensity.
However, the Cardinals (17-4, 8-2 Mid-American Conference) found themselves on the wrong side of both statistics in an 86-76 loss Wednesday at No. 17 Bowling Green State University (21-2, 10-0 MAC).
Led by Kate Achter and Amber Flynn 18 points, the Falcons had four players score 15 or more.
Ball State's Kelsey Corbin and Porchia Green were the game's leading scorers with 27 and 24 points, respectively. However, Audrey McDonald was the only other Cardinal to score in double figures, ending the game with 11.
In addition, guard Julie DeMuth had didn't score a point until mid-way through the second half, and finished with eight points. Entering Wednesday's game, DeMuth was averaging a team-high 14.5 points per game.
Corbin said the lack of scoring threats hampered Ball State's offensive attack.
"We have to get every single person on this team involved, especially our starting five," Corbin said. "This team isn't made up of one or two people who are going to score 20 to 30 points a game. It's made up of five or six people who are going to score 10 to 15 points a game. That's what we need to get back to."
Ball State jumped out to an early 10-6 lead seven minutes into the game. However, the Falcons went on a 13-2 run over the next 4:34, giving them a 19-12 lead with nine minutes left in the first half. Bowling Green eventually stretched the lead to 31-18, before going into the half with a 39-31 advantage.
In the second half, the Falcons led by as many as 18 points.
Corbin said the early four-and-half minute lapse allowed the game to get away from them.
"They made their run and we didn't match it," Corbin said. "That was in the first half, and we played catchup the rest of the game. If we eliminated those five minutes and buckled down on our defensive matchups there's no reason this game couldn't come out in a different way."
While Ball State's three guards scored in double figures, Ball State's frontcourt was thinned by injuries and foul trouble. Cardinals senior Becca Bajorek sat out with a leg injury and freshman Caitlin Proctor injured her left arm in the second half. Starting forward Lisa Rusche picked up her fourth foul early in the second half and scored just three points.
The result was a 38-11 scoring advantage for Bowling Green's starting tandem of Liz Honegger and Ali Mann.
Ball State coach Tracy Roller credited her counter-part, Falcons coach Kurt Miller, for exploiting the miss match.
"Kurt Miller saw the opportunity and just kept going [in the paint]", Roller said. "That's why he's such a great coach. Porchia Green [who ended up guarding the paint] is a great player, but she's not going to be able to hold a Liz Honnegger down."
Bowling Green's ability to go inside forced Ball State's guards to collapse on the post, creating open 3-point shots for Falcon shooters. Bowling Green made good on those opportunities, connecting on 7-of-16 from behind the arc. In contrast Ball State made 2-of-15 from behind the line.
"You dig down as much as you can, but that's why you end up allowing seven 3-pointers," Roller said. "We tired to use or athleticism to get around [Honnegar] and back out to the perimeter, but she seals so well."
Even with the loss, Ball State still holds a one game lead in the MAC West Division. Roller said she is looking forward to a possible rematch, perhaps late in the MAC tournament in March.
"This was a great atmosphere tonight," Roller said. "It's really what women's basketball is all about. It was two teams battling, and it was a lot of fun. I'm already looking forward to a possible matchup down the road."
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