Bowling Green State University
BALL STATE
Falcons Struggle from the Floor in Road Loss
January 26, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 26, 2008
Miller and Achter post-game audio |
Final Stats
MUNCIE, Ind. - In their first encounter with the MAC West, the Bowling Green State University Falcons (15-5, 4-2) picked-up a loss at the hands of the Cardinals of Ball State University, 68-47, inside Worthen Arena on the Muncie, Ind. campus Saturday afternoon. The weekend marked the first of a six game movement through the Mid-American Conference's opposing division.
Senior Kate Achter led the Falcons with her 18 points as she went 9-15 from the field. She also accumulated three rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Freshman Lauren Prochaska also contributed 11 points and a pair of defensive rebounds. For the second straight game, freshman Crystal Murdaugh was the high-rebounder with her nine boards; eight of which came on the defensive side of the ball.
Five of the Cardinals ended the night with double-digit outings including a team-high 14 from Kiley Jarrett. The guard went on dish a game-high seven assists with just two turnovers.
Of the BSU starting five, four sank five-field goals while Porchia Green sank two. For the visitors, Achter converted the aforementioned 9-15 while the remaining starters combined for four made shots from the field.
As a unit, the Falcons shot a season low 28.6 percent from the field and went on to see lows in total points (47) and made field goals (16). The Falcons also saw a low five assists on their made shots - each of the three captains made-up for those assists with Achter contributing three and Lindsey Goldsberry and Whitney Taylor each finding a teammate for another.
While missing their first four shots of the afternoon, the Falcons only gave-up four points before Tara Breske grabbed Julie Demuth's missed three-point attempt. Achter used the momentum of the defensive board on the opposite end and the Falcons were down just two thanks to her mid-range jumper, 4-2, at 17:48.
Achter hit another jumper just after Demuth sank one of her own from way under the basket which looked more like a dare one would challenge an opponent to during a game of H-O-R-S-E than a safe two point lay-up. At that time (15:04) the Falcons were down just five, 11-6. Audrey McDonald scored the next pair of BSU points to give the host a seven point lead.
Each team followed suit with a two-minute spell where neither could find the inside of a rim, but Prochaska's first jumper of the night, a shot from the left elbow, once again lessened Ball State's advantage to five, 13-8, at 11:24.
Though Lauren Rusche sank a lay-up one minute later; Prochaska continued the fight for BG scoring a pair the hard way; a result of two made free throws that were awarded as she was fouled on a drive from the left side.
Ball State pushed the lead to 10 as Jarrett compiled an old fashioned three-point play; the Cardinals would stay ahead of the Falcons for the rest of the game.
McDonald's three at 8:43 began a 17-8 run that would take the squads into the final minute of play. In the last 1:10 BG scored six un-answered points to end the half at 37-22 including a made Achter jumper after the Falcons stopped BSU's final shot attempt.
In the first half, the Falcons converted 6-of-26 (23.1) shots while Ball State was good for 16-of-31 (51.6). Ball State also saw 24 points in the paint.
The beginning of the second half played much like the first with Ball State keeping the lead between 15-18 points for the first five minutes of the game. Yet, by 13:33 the Falcons were able to stave off the Cardinals long enough to string together a run to get within 13 points of the hosts, 44-31.
They would stay within the low teens of their opponent for the next four minutes outscoring Ball State 7-5. By 9:05 Bowling Green trailed 50-36 but would soon find themselves down by 20 points through the closing minutes of the game.
Wednesday (Jan. 30) the Falcons will close the month as they host their first Western Divisional foe, the Western Michigan University Broncos. The frenzy in Anderson Arena is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start.
Most recently, Western Michigan picked-up a crossover win over Kent State on Saturday afternoon.
*Falcon Notes*
Dating back to February of the 2004-05 season, BGSU had not lost a MAC road game in the past 19 tries. Ball State and Miami now become the first MAC tandem to post back-to-back wins over the Orange and Brown during the Kate Achter/Whitney Taylor-era.
Lauren Prochaska has developed her own code in the MAC. Through all league games she has alternated hitting four and one three-point field goals per game.
Crystal Murdaugh picked-up yet another block in MAC play giving her an average of one per league game. The freshman has 14 this season and ranks amongst the top four freshmen in the Falcon rookie annals.
Bowling Green's 15.8 (3-19) percent from the three-point line was their second lowest outing of the season. In their second MAC road game at the University at Buffalo, the Falcons were 1-8 (12.5%).
The MAC West took five of the six games which were played today. After Ohio beat Central Michigan, 71-64, in the first game of the day, every remaining game was won by the West.
##BGSU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL##
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