Game statistics
Ball State shooting: 23-56 (41.1 percent)
Central Michigan shooting: 25-65 (38.5 percent)
Ball State rebounds: 32 (8 offensive, 24 defensive)
Central Michigan rebounds: 41 (17 offensive, 24 defensive)
Fontaine watch
Tamara Bowie career points (Ball State record): 2,091
Nathalie Fontaine career points: 2,055
With eight seconds left in the game, senior guard Nathalie Fontaine scored a layup to pull Ball State within one, 67-66. Sophomore guard Frannie Frazier then tipped Central Michigan's inbound pass, forcing a jump ball with the arrow in the Cardinals' favor with four seconds remaining.
After a Ball State timeout, Fontaine caught the inbound pass at the top of the arc and tried driving through the lane. Central Michigan, however, had a foul to give, so freshman Chippewa forward Reyna Frost fouled Fontaine before she could shoot.
Three seconds remained when Fontaine again caught the inbound at the top of the arc, but her 3-point shot clanked off the rim to end the game.
Fontaine recorded her 15th double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds, but is now 0-11 for the season on 3-point attempts.
Ball State hit 41.1 percent of its shots compared with Central Michigan's 38.5 percent clip, but the Chippewas' rebounding advantage, 41-32, helped them hit 25 of their 65 shots to the Cardinals' 23-56 performance.
Toledo (15-12, 10-5 MAC) also lost Feb. 24, leaving Ball State in a tie for second place in the MAC West.
The Cardinals will take on Eastern Michigan (18-8, 9-6 MAC) at 2 p.m. Feb. 27 in Ypsilanti, Mich.
Game statistics Ball State shooting: 23-56 (41.1 percent) Central Michigan shooting: 25-65 (38.5 percent) Ball State rebounds: 32 (8 offensive, 24 defensive) Central Michigan rebounds: 41 (17 offensive, 24 defensive) Fontaine watch Tamara Bowie career points (Ball State record): 2,091 Nathalie Fontaine career points: 2,055