Cardinals Shoot Past Falcons, 91-80

Saturday, February 5

Muncie, IND.

1:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

10-9,5-5MAC

Ball State

14-7,7-4MAC

Bowling Green

Ball St.

Nyla Hampton had 12 points, 4 assists and a game-high 5 steals at Ball State

Photo by: Stephen Linsky, BGSU Athletics

February 05, 2022 | Women's Basketball

Box Score BGSU-BSU Stats

Velasco has career-high 21 points for the second-straight Saturday

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

MUNCIE, Ind. – Host Ball State University shot over 62 percent from the field and had an answer for every Bowling Green second-half run, as the Cardinals topped the Falcons, 91-80, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 5). The Mid-American Conference game was held inside Worthen Arena.

For the Falcons (10-9, 5-5 MAC), freshman Amy Velasco went 5-for-6 from three-point range en route to 21 points, tying her career high, while Morgan Sharps scored 18 points. Nyla Hampton had 12 points and a game-high five steals for the Orange and Brown.

Marie Kiefer led five double-figure scorers for the Cardinals (14-7, 7-4 MAC), with a game-high 24 points.

BSU led by a single point after one quarter, but extended the lead to double figures at the half. The Falcons battled back to within two points in the third quarter, but the Cards made a late-quarter run to increase their lead once again.

QUOTING COACH FRALICK
"I thought our effort in the second half was much better (than in the first), but we have to get better at putting together 40 minutes of basketball."

FIRST QUARTER
• The Cardinals scored the game's first four points, before Morgan Sharps scored the contest's next five. She hit a long two-pointer, then took an Amy Velasco pass and knocked down a three-point try for a 5-4 BG lead. But, Ally Becki countered with a three-pointer of her own to put the hosts back on top.
• Madisen Parker found Jocelyn Tate with a bounce pass just after the duo entered the game for the first time, knotting the score at 7-7. But, the hosts then went on a 7-0 run, with Ally Becki's triple giving the Cardinals a 14-7 advantage at the 3:50 mark.
• Zoe Miller responded with an up-and-under layup, then made the same move from the opposite side of the court to cut the BSU edge to 16-11. Miller grabbed an offensive rebound and put the ball back up and in while drawing a foul. She hit the ensuing free throw, and when Kadie Hempfling found Velasco for a three-pointer from the left win, the Falcons were within a single point after 10 minutes.

SECOND QUARTER
• Marie Kiefer banked home a three-point try on the first possession of the period, kick-starting an 11-0 run for the hosts. Chyna Latimer hit a layup off of a broken play, then knocked down a three-pointer as part of the run.
• Elissa Brett split a pair of free throws to stop the run, and Sharps had a nice take that resulted in a shot off glass. Sydney Freeman answered with a triple, but Velasco fed Brett for a three-pointer, and a Velasco steal led to a nifty transition bucket for Sharps.
• Nyla Hampton alertly spotted Tate cutting down the late for a layup, shaving the BSU lead to seven points at 34-27. But, Becki hit a trey to restore the Cardinals' double-digit advantage. Sharps hit a driving layup, but Kiefer knocked down a straightaway triple, then converted a layup. Velasco fed Sharps for a layup to cut the BSU lead to 11 at the break.

THIRD QUARTER
• BGSU made a third-quarter run, but the Cardinals had an answer. Hempfling took Hampton's 'extra pass' for a layup on the first possession of the period, and Hempfling's steal led to a Sharps layup. Thelma Dis Agustsdottir knocked down a corner three, but Hampton's bucket gave BGSU layups on three-straight possessions.
• Then, Brett's defensive rebound and outlet pass got the Falcons running, and Velasco found Hampton for a run-out layup. Freeman made a triple try, but Hempfling kicked the ball out to Velasco for a three-point hoop at the other end of the court. Hampton's steal and open layup cut the BSU lead to four points as the Cards used a timeout.
• Out of the timeout, Hampton came up with another steal and layup, and the Falcons were down by just a 48-46 score. But, Estel Puiggros scored, and a Kiefer three-point play gave BSU a seven-point lead.
• Sharps hit a long-range try, but Kiefer made a shot from the arc, and after a pair of Brett charity tosses, BSU scored four-straight points to take a 62-51 lead.
• Kenzie Lewis spotted Hempfling for a three-ball, and defense by Sharps led to a BSU turnover. Velasco's three-pointer cut the Cards' lead to five, 62-57, but DiS Agustsdotter's trifecta gave BSU a 65-57 advantage. Velasco's three-point play made it a five-point game once again, but Ivet Subirats made a putback at the buzzer, and the Cards had a 67-60 lead after 30 minutes.

FOURTH QUARTER
• The Falcons got back within six points as Velasco drained a pair of free throws, but the Cardinals got six points in the paint, with Subirats throwing in a crazy reverse layup to give the hosts a 74-62 lead.
• Out of a timeout, Brett's offensive rebound led to a second-chance three-pointer from Velasco, but BG could get no closer than that nine-point margin.
• Ball State extended the lead to as many as 16 points, despite a Brett three-pointer and a Hempfling three-point play. With just over a minute to go, a Hempfling steal led to Velasco's quick triple, and Hampton immediately stole the ensuing inbounds pass and laid the ball in, getting the Falcons within 11. But, BG could get no closer.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• Ball State shot 62.7 percent for the game, making 37 field goals in 59 attempts. The Cardinals went 12-of-24 from the arc.
• For their part, the Falcons shot 49.2% from the floor, and BGSU made 10 triples in 25 tries.
• BSU had a slim 31-28 rebounding advantage, but the Cardinals had 21 turnovers compared to 17 for BGSU. The Falcons had a 19-16 edge in points off turnovers.
• Kiefer led the Cardinals with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Becki had 15 points, nine boards and nine assists. Latimer (14 points), Freeman (11) and Dis Agustsdottir (10) also scored in double digits.
• Velasco had 21 points for the second-straight Saturday, tying her career high. She also had a team-leading five assists along with two steals. Velasco was 5-for-6 from three-point range.
• Sharps had 18 points and Hampton 12 for the Falcons. Hampton had four assists and led all players with five steals.
• Hempfling and Brett had nine points and four rebounds apiece, with Hempfling adding three assists and two steals.
• Madisen Parker played in her 135th career game as a Falcon, tying the school record. She will break that mark – which she currently shares with Tracy Pontius, Lauren Prochaska and Jen Uhl – the next time she takes the floor.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons return home to face Northern Illinois for the second time in as many Wednesdays. BGSU welcomes the Huskies to the Stroh for some midweek #MACtion (Feb. 9), with tipoff at 7:00 p.m.. Wednesday will be the Falcons' Play 4Kay Game.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will head to the Glass City next Saturday (Feb. 12), taking on arch-rival Toledo in a 2:00 p.m. start.
• Log on to BGSUFalcons.com for all of the latest news and updates re: the 2021-22 Falcons.

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