Women's Hoops Falls to Ball State, 72-62

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team fell, 72-62, in a mid-week Mid-American Conference game to the Cardinals of Ball State University Wednesday, Feb. 11, at the Convocation Center.

The Eagles (11-10, 4-6 MAC) knocked down a season-best 11 three-pointers, including a career-high three triples from junior Sera Ozelci (Ankara, Turkey-TED Ankara (Odessa College)). As a team, EMU shot 39.3 percent from the floor, going 24-for-61, while sophomore Janay Morton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) dropped a team-best 19 points. Ozelci was the only other Eagle to notch double-digit scoring with 11 points and sophomore Cha Sweeney (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) added nine points for the Green and White.

The Cardinals (12-10, 8-3 MAC) were powered behind 47.4 percent shooting from the floor and four players who nabbed double-digits figures. Nathalie Fontaine recorded the only double-double of the contest with 19 points and 15 rebounds, while Renee Bennett had 15 points for BSU. Shelbie Justice and Jill Morrison rounded out the Ball State scoring with 11 and 10 points, respectively. The Cardinals used an impressive 21 points off of turnovers and outrebounded the Eagles 38-33 to end the conference contest.

The two teams matched basket-for-basket through the first 10 minutes of the contest with neither team gaining more than a three-point advantage over the other. The Cardinals put together a nine-point run, with five points from Moriah Monaco, to take a 22-15 lead with 7:47 remaining in the first half.

Back-to-back threes from the Eagles brought them within one of BSU before a block from Ozelci allowed Phillis Webb (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) to knock down an easy fastbreak jumper from the top of the key and take the 23-22 lead. Eastern added four more fastbreak points to go on a 12-0 run over Ball State and force Head Coach Brady Sallee to call a timeout in hopes of slowing the EMU offense. The timeout was not in vain as the Cardinals used four points from Fontaine and a corner trey from Justice to take a 29-27 advantage over the Green and White.

BSU notched three final points in the remaining three minutes of the opening half to take a slight 32-27 advantage into the locker room. The Eagles shot 46.2 percent, going 12-for-26 from the floor, including 13 points via fastbreak plays. Morton led the EMU charge with eight points, while Sweeney notched six points for the Green and White. On the boards, Brianna Puni (St. Charles, Mo.-Incarnate Word (Illinois State)) and Morton pulled down four rebounds apiece.

EMU outrebounded Ball State 20-12 in the first half, but it was the Cardinals who had seven second chance points, while the Eagles were unable to grab any second chance opportunities. Ball State went 12-for-29 from the floor, which was good for a 41.4 shooting percentage in the first half of action. Renee Bennett scored a team-best nine points, while Fontaine knocked down seven points for BSU.

After exchanging baskets for the first 12 points of the half, Ball State used an 11-point run to take a 46-33 lead over Eastern with just over 15 minutes left to play. The Eagles struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the second half, scoring just 10 points in the opening nine minutes of action.

EMU eventually found its stride, starting with a Sweeney three-pointer, cutting the Ball State lead to 10, 58-48, with a signature Ozelci trey from the corner. The Eagles continued to fight back using back-to-back threes, including a career-tying third from Ozelci, to trail BSU by six with five minutes remaining in the contest.

Ball State answered back with a 6-0 run, but again EMU responded with two-straight threes to trail 68-60 with 1:49 left to play in the second half. Despite their effort, the Eagles were unable to comeback, falling 72-62 in the mid-week game.

EMU remains inside the Convocation Center for a Saturday, Feb. 14, contest against Central Michigan University. In addition to the noon contest, Saturday will serve as the "Cheer Your Heart Out" doubleheader in support of heart disease as the men's basketball team takes on the University of Akron at 2:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear red as part of American Heart Month.

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Team Stats

Janay Morton

Sera Ozelci

Cha Sweeney

Jamaica Bucknor

Players Mentioned

Janay Morton

Sera Ozelci

Brianna Puni

Cha Sweeney

Phillis Webb

Players Mentioned

Janay Morton

Sera Ozelci

Brianna Puni

Cha Sweeney

Phillis Webb

Eastern Michigan Athletics