Ball State Women/Men Sweep Doubleheader

Ball State Women/Men Sweep Doubleheader

by: Steven Stremming

In Game One in Worthen Arena, home of the Ball State Cardinals, the homestanding Cards of Head Coach Brady Sallee came out cold and fell behind early, as Miami of Ohio, coached by Kokomo’s DeUnna Hendrix was swishing the nets at a blistering 69% including over 66% percent from behind the arc for an early 22 to 11 lead.

Minster, Ohio Sophomore, Ivy Wolf did much of the scoring for the RedHawks.

While Sallee was keeping his cool on the sideline, outwardly at least, the Cards regrouped and shook off their early sluggishness (26.7% FG, 25% 3PFG) by reversing the pace and would end up at the half, up 37 to 33.

The Cards hit an exact 60% from the field, while both Thelma Dis Agustsdottir (6′ Grad student) hailing from Keflavik, Iceland and Taylor Mills (Scott H.S.) Anna Clephane (Red shirt Senior) blistered the nets from behind the arc at a 60% percent clip.  Clephane would end the day with over 1,000 points scored and Thelma would climb the three-point scoring mark in Cardinal history.

The second half saw the Cards use the inside presence of Alex Richard (6’1, Sophomore, Avon, Indiana) who contributed six points and ten boards along with Marie Kieffer (6’2, Sophomore, Alexandria, Kentucky, Bishop Brossart) and Anne Rauch (6’3, Junior, Hillard, Ohio, Hillard Darby) to benefit.

Richard’s presence in the second quarter helped lift the Cardinals along with Madelyn (Maddy) Bischoff’s, (5’9, Sophomore, Indianapolis Roncalli hitting from outside and driving layups and over-all game.

The Cards outscored the RedHawk 55 to 28 in the second half to achieve the final score.

Clephane led the Cardinals with 25 with Dis Agustsdottir’s 20 and eight rebounds, Bischoff’s 14 and Brownsburg, Indiana Sophomore’s Ally Becki’s 10 points and yes, 11 assists.

Miami was led by Wolf’s 19, Zionsville, Indiana’s 6’1, Sophomore Katey Richason’s 13 points and ten boards, Maddi Clouse 13 points and Peyton Scott (5’8, Senior, Lynchburg, Ohio (Clay H.S.) twelve points.

Game Two saw Michael Lewis’ Ball State Cardinals face off against Travis Steele’s RedHawks of Miami of Ohio.

A loud student section along with a sizeable crowd, for a 2 p.m. afternoon game witnessed a strong first half by the Cardinals.

In a sluggish feeling game, Ball State was confronted with a physical RedHawk team early in the game, as they fed the paint to Anderson Mirambeaux (6’8, Senior, Santo Domingo/Dominican Republic) who responded with early game baskets.

Not to be one-upped Ball State forced the ball into their own post in the paint, and Payton Sparks (6’9, Sophomore, Winchester, Indiana) who responded with his own rim of the basket power.

While the game continued in the paint, Ball State’s Jaylin Seller’s (6’4, Sophomore, Columbus, Georgia, Carver Montgomery H.S.) pulled up for successive baskets from outside the paint and gave the Cardinals some breathing room.

Mickey Pearson (6’7, Redshirt Sophomore, Lincoln, Alabama, John Hardin, Texas Christian) added two field goals mid first half and the over-all solid play from Demarus Jacobs (6’2, Senior, Chicago, Illinois) helped the Cardinals open up a 47 to 30 halftime lead.

Two more significant Cardinals made their mark in the first half as Basheer Jihad (6’9, Sophomore, Detroit, Michigan/North Farmington H.S.) was a force, both on the boards and the scoring column and New Castle, Indiana, 6’1, Junior, Luke Bumbalough’s stout defense with 6’5 Redshirt Junior, Jarron Coleman (Indianapolis, Indiana/Cathedral H.S.) in foul trouble.

The second half saw Miami outscore the Cards 31 to 28 but the damage had already been done and the Cardinals would exit the floor with a 12-5 over-all mark and 3-1 in Mid-American Conference action.

Leading the way for the Cardinals, were Jacobs and Sellers with 15 a piece, Jihad and Sparks and 12 a piece along with Pearson and Coleman’s nine points each. Coleman’s long double scoring streak was broken.

The RedHawk were led by Evansville, Indiana’s Mekhi Larry (5’8, 5th year, Evansville Bosse) 17, Mirambeaux 14 and Kamari Williams ten.