The women's basketball team had a 31-26 halftime lead at Buffalo on Saturday, but head coach Tracy Roller was looking for more.
"I pretty much laid it out (at halftime) and said 'what are you waiting for,'" Roller said. "We just didn't look like a championship team in the first half."
Roller's halftime speech must have worked because she said her team played with a different mentality in the second half. The Cardinals won 75-55.
After fighting off a 5-0 Buffalo start by scoring the next 10, BSU built a 12-point advantage with 3:42 remaining in the first.
Buffalo, however, went on an 8-1 run in the final 2:40, sending Roller into the locker room looking for answers as to why her team couldn't build a large lead and keep it.
The Cardinals came out of the break and quickly got the double-digit lead back, then stretched it to 52-38 with a 21-8 run. Buffalo never got closer than 13 after that.
Senior Kate Endress and freshman Julie DeMuth both finished with double-doubles. Endress had a game-high 21 points, along with 10 rebounds, while DeMuth had a game-high 15 rebounds with 14 points.
"Kate's just playing really well right now," Roller said. "The team is getting her the ball and getting her shots."
Roller also credited sophomore Kelsey Corbin, who had 14 points and seven assists, for putting in some good minutes. Junior Raechelle Hampton played 12 minutes in her first game back from surgery, finishing with six points and two rebounds. Hampton is expected to see more playing time this week.
The Cardinals are now 2-2 in the Mid-American Conference, and while it's not the best start, Roller said she's happy with the way her team is playing.
"It's not really about how you start; it's about how you finish," Roller said.
This week the Cardinals have two home games -- against Northern Illinois on Wednesday and Kent State on Saturday -- and Roller said it's important for her team to protect its home court.
"This week is going to be a defining moment for our program," she said.
Junior guard Dana Collins has returned to Muncie after recovering from a car accident. She is still unable to play, but will join the team at practice and on the bench this week.
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