Ball State University's women's basketball team's season is over due to the 85-82 loss to the University of Kentucky Monday, but a potential positive for the Cardinals in lieu of the loss will be the return of four starters from a team that finished 24-7.
Leading scorer and rebounder Julie DeMuth should return along with Lisa Rusche, Porchia Green and Audrey McDonald. Both DeMuth and Rusche scored more than 20 points in the Cardinals' final game of the season, including a double-double by Rusche as she grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
The starter the Cardinals must replace is point guard Kelsey Corbin. Corbin had one of her best games recording a double-double with 17 points and 13 assists. The 13 assists were a career high and the highest for a Cardinal since 2000. Ball State's record is 14 assists, which has been done twice in Ball State's history.
On the court, Corbin called the plays and directed the team, a position Kiley Jarrett will have to try and fill next season, Corbin said.
"You got to pay attention," Corbin said. "Coach [Tracy] Roller does a great job of making you go through game-like situations in practice so that you're ready and prepared for these types of games. [Our preparation] shined when Jarrett came in this game tonight. She had a beautiful pass to Lisa and had an amazing 3-pointer right at the top of the key. If that's not a true point guard who is ready to step up into the position next year then I don't know what is."
Corbin will still be at Ball State next year despite graduating. She will be on the bench helping Roller coach the team.
Roller said that Corbin will be on staff next year and will be responsible for helping Jarrett develop in the point guard position.
"All I have to do next year is say Kiley and point to Kelsey," Roller said.
Jarrett will have to figure out a way to get the ball to DeMuth.
DeMuth scored her 1,000th point of her career against Kentucky Monday and will begin her senior year with 1,016 total points.
"I didn't even know till the time-out [when they announced it]," DeMuth said. "It's fine but we didn't win, so it's kinda sour."
The Cardinals averaged 73.2 points per game this season and more than 70 percent of those points will be returning next season.
Roller believes the Cardinals have got something to build on for the future.
"We have built a foundation," Roller said. "Are we happy with not going to the NCAA [Tournament]? No. Are we happy with losing to Kentucky? No, because we have built that foundation. A foundation needs a house on it, and that's what the next group is going to build."
The Cardinals return their leading 3-point shooter, McDonald, leading stealer, Green and leading blocker, Rusche along with DeMuth's lead in points and rebounds.
"The sky's the limit for Ball State," Corbin said.
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