When a matchup against Bowling Green loomed weeks ago, women's basketball head coach Tracy Roller hoped her team could do enough to make the game meaningful. Winning six out of seven games did just that.
Today the top two teams in the Mid-American Conference West Division will meet in Worthen Arena. Ball State (11-10, 7-3) can either move a half game ahead of Bowling Green (14-6, 7-2) for the top spot in the division or fall one-and-a-half games back.
Roller said her team has done a good job all season of having a "next game is the most important game" attitude and isn't looking ahead to the MAC Tournament just yet.
"The team seems to be really focused," she said. "We're really just playing and really enjoying each game."
The Cardinals will have their hands full with Bowling Green, a team that has four players averaging double figures. Ball State has only two -- senior forward Kate Endress (18.5 points per game) and sophomore guard Tina Bolte (11).
"They have a really simple offense, but they really understand it," Roller said of the Falcons. "They really have about six or seven kids that can get double figures on you."
The Falcons average 71.4 points per game and are coming off of two lopsided wins in which they averaged 83 points and allowed just 51.5. Stopping the team's transition offense will be key, Roller said.
"We've got to be smarter defensively," she said. "If they start getting offensively rolling it could be a long night."
Liz Honegger tops BG with 14.2 points per game, while Ali Mann is next at 13.1. They are also the team's top two rebounders, averaging 8.1 and 7.4, respectively.
Bowling Green's offensive power was evident against Ohio last week when it went on a 15-1 run in the second half to send them on their way to victory.
Roller said she is hoping a lot of fans, especially students, come out to cheer her team on. She feels a good crowd could boost her players, who she says are starting to get more confident, even more.
"We know, and we've been a team in the past that when we have three or four in double figures, we're hard to stop," Roller said. "I think were getting back to that and I think this Bowling Green game you'll see that."
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