DEKALB, Ill. -- The Northern Illinois Huskies tied the season series between them and the Ball State women's basketball team with a 82-62 win, but it will not be the last time the teams will meet this season.
Ball State could have clinched a home game with a win, but instead Northern clinched the home game, the No. 8 seed and the right to play the ninth seed on Saturday in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament, which will be Ball State.
"Starting the game, I didn't think we had much to say or do to motivate our team," head coach Tracy Roller said. "I mean, both teams were playing for something -- getting a chance to play at home. Unfortunately, we just didn't match the challenge that Northern brought tonight, and they were the better team, so hopefully we'll just regroup."
After a Ball State turnover, Huskies senior Monique Davis got the first points of the game with a 3-pointer. BSU junior Kate Endress would score next to get the Cards' first points, and from there, neither team could get a decisive advantage until the end of the first half.
Ball State did not score in the final four minutes of the first half and Northern Illinois was able to close the half by outscoring the Cardinals 9-2 to take a 30-23 lead at the break. Both teams shot 34 percent and grabbed 24 rebounds in the first half, although the Huskies did get three more offensive boards than the Cardinals did.
The Huskies came out of the break the same way they went into it, outscoring Ball State 10-2 in the first two minutes of the second half, which prompted Roller to call a time-out. After the break, Endress scored a quick basket, but the Huskies continued to build their lead, getting it to 44-27 with 16:37 remaining.
The Cards slowly chipped away at that lead, getting it down to 13 four times before pulling up to 50-39 with 12:33 left to play. However, Northern responded with a 7-0 run to pad its advantage enough for the stretch run.-á
The Cards would get no closer than 12 after that. -á
The Huskies' two best post players --Jennifer Youngblood and Joi Scott, who were held to a combined 21 points in the teams' first meeting -- dominated the Cards down low in this matchup. Scott scored a team-high 20 points, and Youngblood added 18. Davis also tallied double figures, chipping in 15.
"They just overpowered us; in the post they got everything they wanted," Roller said. "When Jennifer Youngblood refuses to get stopped, it's tough to beat them."
While both teams were even at the break in shooting percentage and rebounding, Northern warmed up from the floor and got stronger on the boards in the second half. They finished with a 44-32 rebounding advantage led by Youngblood's 12 boards. They also finished the game shooting 47 percent. The Cards' managed 40 percent, but made just 2-of-20 3-pointers.
Endress was the only BSU player in double figures, notching a game-high 23 points. Jessica Reiter grabbed 10 rebounds.
The loss is the sixth straight for the Cards, and drops them to 12-15 overall and 7-9 in the conference. The Huskies have the same records but will host Saturday's game after winning the tie-breaker.
Ball State's fade over the past few weeks has Roller puzzled going into that game.
"I've yet to figure out what motivates my team," she said. "That's a mistake as a coach that hopefully get better and learn and figure out."
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