Ball State was down just two points to the No. 1 team in the MAC, with a minute to go. Toledo’s Naama Shafir, who was shooting 5-for-18 at that point, was isolated on Shanee’ Jackson, arguably Ball State’s best perimeter defender.
With all the momentum on Ball State’s side, Shafir drove for a couple steps, then pulled back and shot an 18-footer. The ball rattled in, silencing the crowd and ending Ball State’s chances of ending the day at No. 1 in the conference.
Late free throws changed the final score, but not the result as Ball State lost to Toledo 68-64.
“It’s a tough one,” Ball State coach Brady Sallee said. “Not because we necessarily lost the game. When you see your team fight that hard, you just want good things for them.”
Like against Bowling Green a month ago, Ball State started in an ugly shooting slump, opening the game in an 0-of-11 hole from the field. At the 12:20 mark, junior Katie Murphy finally got Ball State on the board with a layup, assisted by Brandy Woody.
The officiating was a struggle for Ball State in Sunday’s game. Toledo shot almost double (31-16) the free throws that Ball State did.
Sallee was constantly in the officials’ ears, arguing for or against certain calls.
“I’m going to ask my team to fight their tails off,” he said. “Then you bet I’m going to fight my tail off. When I think that my team’s going hard, and they deserve better, I’m going to fight like cats and dogs to do it. That’s probably never going to change.”
Just as she has all season, Jackson brought an energy boost to her team when she first entered the game. She had 10 points at halftime, and was shooting 50 percent from the floor on 3-of-6 shooting. Without her, the rest of the team shot a combined 4-of-24 from the field in the first half.
Jackson led the team in scoring with 16 points, two shy of her career-high of 18.
The loss was emotional for two of the upperclassmen and leaders on the team.
“On the way up, Shanee’ was in tears. I was fighting back tears,” Woody said. “I guess we’ll get them when it counts.”
Despite the loss, Jackson is confident in her team.
“We’re getting better,” the senior said. “Last year — I don’t want to talk about last year — people probably wouldn’t have thought that we’d even be in the game. We’re definitely getting better each day.”
After three mediocre conference seasons, Jackson was happy to see the Ball State crowd show up for a big game.
“Seeing that crowd in there, I was just like, ‘Finally. Finally,’” she said.
