Looking at the box score of Brady Sallee’s first career game as Ball State’s women’s basketball coach, it’s easy to get the impression that he would be disappointed with his team.
After all, Ball State lost 54-45 and shot 28 percent from the field.
Sallee, however, didn’t see it that way.
“They gave me what I wanted,” Sallee said. “They did. We didn’t make shots. I don’t care. They gave me everything I asked for. They played their hearts out. How can you be a coach and not love that? … These kids gave me everything they had. As a coach, that’s all you want, so they did give me my first win tonight.”
One problem Ball State had to contend with during the game was senior Samantha Heck. Heck led her team in points and rebounds last season, aided by her 6-foot-2-inch height.
Despite Heck’s size, she didn’t score a point until the 8:10 mark of the first half. Ball State appeared to have a group plan to defend her, as they constantly swarmed her anytime she had the ball.
However, the extra attention on Heck may have allowed Evansville’s outside shooters to find room. The Purple Aces hit five three-pointers in the first half.
Evansville finished 11-19 from three-point range.
Long-distance shooting wasn’t the only catalyst for the Cardinals, as turnovers also plagued the home team early in the game.
With seven minutes remaining in the first half, the Cardinals had turned the ball over 10 times. They had nine points.
However, from that moment on, Ball State was turnover-free for the remainder of the half. They ended the half on a 13-11 run.
The Cardinals ended with 22 turnovers.
Junior point guard Brandy Woody played 38 minutes on Friday, tying her career high. Sallee attributed that to other players being in foul trouble. Ball State had 19 fouls, and guard Brittany Carter fouled out late in the game.
“When you get in foul trouble, some people have to burn the candle at both ends,” Sallee said. “And she’s so tough. She didn’t bat an eye.”
Nathalie Fontaine was a presence in the first half, scoring 10 points, all in the paint area. She ended the game with 14 points, five rebounds and two steals in her first career Ball State game.
After the game, Fontaine admitted she could’ve played better.
“I felt like sometimes I may have taken it too fast, but I wanted to get a quick move and go past them,” the freshman from Sweden said.
Sallee jumped in with his own answer.
“Clearly she’s got an ability to knife her way in there,” Sallee added. “She weighs all of 120 pounds. She’s got a knack for getting in there. We drew some stuff up for her in the end. She did a good job of executing.”
Despite starting his Ball State career 0-1, Sallee is excited about the future.
“I feel good about who I’m coaching,” Sallee said regarding his team’s outlook. “I feel good about the kids going forward. I’m excited about where this thing’s going to go. It’s one game, so our goal of going 29-0 is over.”
The turnaround for Ball State is quick, as it hosts the Butler on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
