Two weeks ago the women's basketball team experienced a turning point against Western Michigan in the second half.
After trailing 38-25 at halftime, the Cardinals forced overtime before falling 77-74 in overtime. Today the team travels to Western, where it is 6-16 all time.
"From that second half on until now, we've become a much better team," head coach Tracy Roller said. "I think it will be a good test to see where we are, and hopefully it's as far as we think we are."
Since that loss, Ball State (8-9, 4-2) has won three straight games and is tied for second in the Mid-American Conference West Division. Western (6-11, 3-3) meanwhile has lost two straight.
In the last meeting, the Cardinals allowed Western's top two players to have career nights. Senior Kelly Koerber scored 32 points, most of them coming from layups, while converting 15 of the teams 29 baskets.
This season Koerber is averaging 15.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Roller said the main reason she had success last time was because BSU ignored the scouting report, which identified Koerber as a left-handed player. Roller said this time around the team will defend her better.
"Our kids are much better this time around," she said.
Also, sophomore guard Carrie Moore pull down a career-high 16 rebounds against BSU. Moore checks in with 16.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
Overall Ball State's biggest downfall in the first game was on the boards. Western pulled down 62 rebounds -- 30 of them on the offensive end -- while the Cardinals had just 40.
"We're going to have to box out a lot better from the guard spot, but really all around," Roller said.
The Cardinals will turn to the MAC's second-best scorer, senior Kate Endress (17.3 points per game), but they also have a sophomore and freshman who have proven they can put up points.
Sophomore Tina Bolte adds 11.4 per game, while freshman Julie DeMuth averages 7.8 points and 6.7 rebounds. DeMuth is coming off of a career night against Kent State in which she had 27 points and 18 rebounds.
Roller said another Cardinal that could be the difference this time around is sophomore Raechelle Hampton, who missed the first matchup because she was recovering from surgery.
Endress along with Western's Koerber and Moore rank first through third in scoring during MAC only games. Endress scores 21.7 per league game, while Koerber and Moore score 19.2 and 18.8 per game.
Since Western has those type of scorers, Roller said her team will change a lot of defensive schemes they used the first time.
"When you're going up against teams that have that kind of scoring potential, you can't go with the same old, same old," Roller said. "You have to mix it up a little."
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