In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, #12 Ball State faced #5 Ole Miss and came down with a loss. This was the Cardinals first tournament appearance since 2009. Here are three takeaways from the game.
Take better care of the ball
Though Ball State opened the game with a 7-0 run, coming out the gates looking confident, they finished the first half with 9 turnovers and just 4 offensive rebounds. To end the half, the Cardinals had no points off of turnovers, while the Rebels had 6.
If Ball State took better care of the ball early on and prioritized rebounding, the Cardinals would've had more opportunities to score and pull away from Ole Miss.
This was uncharacteristic play for the Cardinals, granted, they haven't faced this big of a team all season. Ball State was blocked five times and had the ball stolen from them seven times during the game.
Convert easy layups and stop forcing shots
In the first half, Ball State made just 9 out of 30 shot attempts, and were 3 of 13 from behind the arch. The Cardinals played rushed, forcing shots off of bad looks, or would drive into the paint full of Ole Miss guards and turn the ball over.
In the second half, their play was much of the same.
Ball State overall converted on 15 of 31 shots, slowing down play, yet still failing to create enough scoring opportunities against the Rebel defense.
It was a consistent beat-down on the offensive end of the floor for the Cardinals. There seemed to be no options or opportunities for Ball State to get ahead. Ole Miss subbed in 11 different players during the game, showcasing depth and relentless energy, something Ball State just couldn't match.
The "Core Four"
Today's loss marks the last games of the Cardinals "Core Four" seniors, consisting of Ally Becki, Marie Kiefer, Alex Richard and Maddie Bischoff. The seniors who joined the team this year via the transfer portal, Elise Stuck, Maliyah Johnson and Lachelle Austin, played their last game as well.
The senior class performed well, with Mid-American Conference Player of the Year Becki scoring a team-high 19 points. Austin followed with 13 points, while Bischoff, Richard and Kiefer had 6 each.
Each player has left a legacy with the program and university leading their team to the NCAA Tournament, regardless of outcome.
Contact Trinity Rea at trinity.rea@bsu.edu or on X @thetrinityrea.
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