When Audrey McDonald was a little girl, her father built her a basketball court in front of their house.-á
Growing up in central Indiana, having a half-court playing surface in the driveway was far from a rarity. The difference that separated McDonald's court from others is the distance the 3-point line was from the basket. When Mike McDonald drew out the lines for his daughter, he mistakenly moved the 3-point arc two feet farther from the basket.
Measured from under the center of the basket to the top of the key, the dimensions of the high school and college 3-point line is 19 feet 9 inches. McDonald's 3-point line measured 21 feet 6 inches.-á
Watching his daughter drain triples this year from as far back as five feet behind the 3-point arc during game play, Mike McDonald would like to think that his mistake has helped his daughter succeed in her rookie year.-á
"It's one of those funny stories that people like to tell," Mike McDonald said with a laugh. "It was a mistake at the time; I misjudged the dimensions. But I think it's helped her ability to shoot from farther outside. So even though it was a mistake, it sure looks like it worked out OK."
McDonald has carried her deadly shooting from her childhood driveway in Kokomo, Ind., to the confines of Worthen Arena in her freshman season with Ball State University. As the Cardinals march toward possibly the program's first NCAA tournament bid, McDonald's shooting ability has proven to be an invaluable asset to her team along the way.
During the first half of the year, opposing defenses were picking McDonald up at the 3-point line, allowing the freshman to shoot comfortable jumpshots well within her range. As the season has progressed, defenders began picking her up farther out on the wing. However, McDonald has continued shooting at a high clip from the outside, connecting on 54-of-133 (40.6 percent). Her percentage ties her for 20th in the nation and is the third-highest among the nation's freshmen.
McDonald said learning how to shoot 25 feet from the basket has given her an advantage over opposing defenders this year.-á
"The defense isn't used to guarding someone from that far out. So I'll see [my defender] sagging off and I'll just stop and pop," McDonald said.-á
McDonald's uncle, Charlie Hall, who also coached her for three varsity seasons at Kokomo High School, said that it's McDonald's strong legs that provide the power necessary to connect from well outside the 3-point arc.-á
"Her lower body is so strong it allows her to shoot from deeper than most people can," Hall said. "A lot of players don't have that power, so when they shoot from 25 or 30 feet they have to push the ball instead of shooting it correctly. Audrey can step out that far and still shoot it like a regular jump shot."-á
Though it has been
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