CLEVELAND--After missing a wide-open 15-footer and recording her second personal foul, Lisa Rusche stared at the Jumbotron in Quicken Loans Arena and released an aggravated sigh.
With her team trailing five points in the final 90 seconds of regulation, the senior's quiet emotion exhibited Ball State's frustration level.
A Cardinals season that began with so much promise ended Tuesday night with a 65-60 loss to Toledo in their opening game of the 2008 Mid-American Conference Tournament. The loss snapped Ball State's five game winning streak - its longest of the season. "I would say we're pretty shocked," senior captain Julie DeMuth said following the game. "... We're very disappointed with the result. I mean, I think that goes without saying. We had high hopes and we just didn't come ready to play."
The Cardinals dominated in the post in the their last game against Toledo this season, - a 27-point victory in Worthen Arena. In that game, Ball State outscored the Rockets 44-18 in the paint and held a 40-28 rebounding edge. The Cardinals post trio of Rusche, DeMuth and freshman Sixth Player of the Year selection Emily Maggert each scored in double figures.
The reciprocal occurred Tuesday.
Toledo outscored Ball State 28-22 in the paint and had one fewer rebound than the Cardinals. Ball State's post trio also combined for 18 points, with Rusche pacing the three with eight."All you have to do is watch our last game," Rockets' coach Mark Ehlen said. "To look at the stat sheet and see DeMuth with four [points], Rusche with eight and Maggert with six - that's why we won."
It was an equally frustrating night for Ball State's leading scorer, junior captain Porchia Green. Despite scoring a single point below her average of 13, the All-MAC First Team selection shot 4-of-15 from the field and missed all four of her 3-point attempts.
With her shot not falling, Green said she tried to find other ways to produce. Supplementing her 12 points, Green finished with four rebounds and a blocked shot. However, the junior did not record an assist for the first time in 30 games this season, and her four turnovers were the most she's had in the past nine games. "It wasn't falling today, and sometimes that's going to happen," Green said of her shot. "As a player, you've just got to think about trying to do something else to contribute to your team."Despite combining for 16 points in Toledo's first two games against Ball State this season, senior guard Ta'Yani Clark paced the Rockets with 25, including 5-of-7 shooting from behind the 3-point line.
Clark was Toledo's third-leading scorer in the regular season with 8.4 points per game. However, she has led her team offensively in both wins during the tournament with a combined 41 points.
"I think [Clark's] a senior on a mission," Ball State coach Lisa McDonald said, with her nose red and eyes still swollen from postgame tears. "She doesn't want her season to end; she doesn't want her career to end. Give her a lot of credit. There's a lot to be said about that kind of leadership from a senior at this point in the year."
Even though two of Ball State's three leading scorers played their final collegiate game Tuesday, the Cardinals will return a wealth of talent next season.
One of those players - starting point guard and junior captain Kiley Jarrett - said the Cardinals' returning players will have a bitter taste in their mouths throughout the upcoming offseason. However, she said that was the last thing on her team's mind immediately following its disappointing finale.
"Right now, we're not even thinking about next year," said Jarrett, who led Ball State with 13 points. "We're still thinking about this year, and it's unfortunate that we couldn't get it done."
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