MAC Opener Goes to Ball State, 81-73

Wednesday, January 4

Muncie, Ind.

6:30 PM

Bowling Green State University

11-2,0-1MAC

Ball State

11-3,1-0MAC

Bowling Green

Ball St.

Photo by: Samantha Blankenship, BSU Photo Services

January 04, 2023 | Women's Basketball

Box Score BGSU-Ball State Stats

Day has a double-double with 18 & 12 in Wednesday's setback

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

MUNCIE, Ind. – In an early-January game that had a March-like atmosphere, host Ball State University came out on top, 81-73, against the Bowling Green State University women's basketball team Wednesday night (Jan. 4). The game, the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams, was held at Worthen Arena.

Allison Day and Nyla Hampton each had 18 points for the Falcons (11-2 overall), who saw a nine-game winning streak come to an end. Day had a double-double with 12 rebounds, and also added three steals and two blocked shots, while Hampton had a game-high five assists and a pair of steals.

Morgan Sharps scored 16 points for the Orange and Brown, hitting a game-high four three-pointers.

The Cardinals (11-3) were led by Anna Clephane's 22 points, while Alex Richard added 14 points and Ally Becki had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

In a battle between the teams picked to finish second (Ball State) and third (BGSU) in the MAC's preseason coaches poll, the teams traded runs for much of the evening. The Falcons surged out to an early 12-6 lead, but the Cardinals battled back to take a one-point lead after the opening quarter.

A 6-0 run midway through the second quarter gave the Falcons the lead once again, but the hosts answered with 11-straight points.

Trailing by 11 points at the half, the Orange and Brown surged to within three points midway through the third period, but the Cards again had an answer. BSU extended the lead to a game-high 14 points with under seven minutes to go.

The Falcons battled back once again, getting to within four points, 74-70, on a Day layup with 2:20 remaining, but Clephane answered with a layup, and BG could get no closer than five points the rest of the way.

QUOTING COACH FRALICK
"This was a tough loss. I think we'll learn a lot from this game moving forward. I think we can play tougher and smarter at times, but we will learn from this one and get better. We've got a quick turnaround, so we've got to get ready for another tough game on Saturday."

FIRST QUARTER
• The Falcons got out to an early lead. Nyla Hampton found Allison Day for a layup in the opening minute, and after Anna Clephane's jumper tied the score, BG scored four points in under 10 seconds. Elissa Brett drove and scored, and the Falcons immediately came up with a steal that led to another Brett bucket. Lexi Fleming's steal resulted in a Hampton layup and an 8-2 lead.
• Thelma Dis Agustsdottir banked home a three-point try, but Hampton hit a layup, then lobbed the ball to Sophie Dziekan for a layup and a 12-6 lead midway through the quarter.
• The Falcons would score just two points over the remainder of the period, however. BSU scored five-straight points, and after Morgan Sharps hit a contested bank shot with 1:30 to go, the Cards scored the last four points of the period. Clephane scored inside, and a Sydney Shafer driving layup beat the buzzer to give the hosts a 15-14 lead.

SECOND QUARTER
• Jocelyn Tate hit Sharps for a three-pointer on the opening possession, but the hosts scored eight of the game's next nine points, with a pair of layups by Annie Rauch giving the Cardinals a 23-18 lead.
• Hampton answered with a jumper, but Marie Kiefer scored inside. Hampton picked the pocket of Estel Puiggros for a layup, and moments later, a Sharps triple gave the Orange and Brown a one-point advantage, 26-25, with 4:09 left in the half.
• But, the Cardinals answered BGSU's 6-0 run with an 11-0 surge. Madelyn Bischoff hit a three-pointer, and after three free trows, Kiefer knocked down a jump shot, and Hana Muhl hit two shots at the charity stripe.
• Fleming sank a pair of free throws with 7.5 seconds to go, but Shafer's corner three beat the buzzer and gave the hosts a 39-28 lead at the intermission.

THIRD QUARTER
• The teams traded points in the opening minute, before Hampton banked home a shot to begin a run by the Orange and Brown. Tate forced a turnover, and Day hit a layup to make it a 43-34 game.
• Defense by Day forced another turnover, and Hampton found Sharps for a triple. Ally Becki hit a short-corner jumper, but two offensive rebounds by Olivia Hill kept the next possession alive for the Falcons, and Fleming's layup cut the lead to six points once again. Then, Dziekan kicked the ball out to Fleming, who cut BG's deficit in half with a three-pointer.
• The Falcons were within 45-42, but Clephane answered with a three-point play, then knocked down a shot from the top of the arc to give her team a nine-point advantage.
• Day hit a layup, but the Cards responded with a layup and a step-back jumper. Day again answered with a bucket, but a three-point play by Alex Richard gave the hosts a 58-46 lead.
• The Falcons ended the quarter with six of the last seven points. Hampton's driving layup was followed by two Day free throws. When Fleming drove and dished the ball to Day for a last-second layup, BSU's lead was 59-52.

FOURTH QUARTER
• The Falcons had a pair of turnovers in the first minute-plus, and BSU got a Richard layup. Brett found Hampton for a hoop a few minutes later, but Becki's three-point play at the 6:52 mark gave the Cardinals a 14-point lead, the largest of the night.
• Back came the Falcons, as Tate and Day combined for three free throws,and a Tate offensive rebound resulted in a Sharps triple.
• The BG deficit was nine points, and it became seven when Hampton dropped the ball off to Day for a shot off glass with 3:17 to go. BSU hit a free throw, but Hampton answered with a pair of charity tosses.
• The teams again traded points, with Tate's free throws making it a 74-68 game with 2:24 on the clock. Tate caused a BSU turnover on the ensuing inbounds pass, and when Hampton again hooked up with Day for a hoop, it was a 74-70 game.
• But, BG would draw no closer. Clephane answered with a layup, and BG missed a shot on the next possession. Tate stole the ball back, and hit a free throw with 1:30 to go, but another Clephane hoop gave her team a 78-71 lead with 1:12 left, and the Cardinals were able to salt away the win.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• Ball State shot 52.8 percent from the floor, while holding BGSU to a 37.3% success rate. Each team made five three-pointers.
• Both teams missed nine free throws, with Ball State making 20 and BG 18.
• Each team had 37 rebounds, with the Falcons pulling down 16 offensive boards. Day had five offensive rebounds and Tate four.
• Day, as mentioned, had a double-double with 18 points and 12 total rebounds, and she added three steals and a pair of blocked shots.
• Hampton also had 18 points, and dished out a game-high five assists, while Sharps scored 16 points and made four of BG's five three-pointers.
• Fleming had nine points, five rebounds, three assists and a block, with Tate totalling six points, eight boards, two assists and a game-high four steals.
• BGSU had 15 turnovers, but forced Ball State into 20. It marked the 13th time in as many games this season that BG had fewer turnovers than the opponent.
• For the first time in the 2022-23 season, all 15 players on the roster were in uniform for Wednesday night's game.
• The Falcons have now played more games in the state of Indiana (five) than in the state of Ohio (four) this season to date.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons return home for the next two games, beginning with a Saturday (Jan. 7) matchup vs. Eastern Michigan. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m. on Faith and Family Day at the Stroh Center.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will entertain Central Michigan next Wednesday (Jan. 11), in a 7:00 p.m. start at the Stroh. Both EMU and CMU were victorious in their respective MAC-opening games on Wednesday night.

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