BLOOMINGTON - The result wasn't what the Ball State University women's basketball team and junior forward Danielle Gratton were looking for, but Gratton was happy to start her career as a Cardinal.
Ball State lost its season opener 84-68 to Indiana University on Friday as a part of the Preseason Women's National Invitational Tournament.
"It always means a lot to get out there with the team," Gratton said. "Obviously not the way we wanted it to go."
Indiana's Assembly Hall was supposed to be a place Gratton was used to playing in four years after she graduated from Bethel Park High School in Pennsylvania. The 6-foot-1-inch forward committed to the University of Illinois, a conference rival of the Hoosiers. But after a coaching change for the Illini, Gratton transferred two years into her college career.
NCAA rules mandated Gratton sit out a season after transferring. To keep involved with the team, Gratton practiced against the Cardinals as a part of the scout team.
"Last year I was always stuck on the scout team," Gratton said. "Seeing them on the other side, there's tons of energy going into it and we just have to harness it and focus it."
Gratton returned to regular season action with 12 points, four rebounds and four assists in 27 minutes. The four rebounds helped the Cardinals win the rebounding battle 38-37.
"It was a game key and some of them we followed through with and some we didn't," Gratton said. "It's a team stat, not just the post."
The game was not just Gratton's first at Ball State. Freshmen Suzanne Grossnickle, Patrice King and Jade Barber made their Cardinals debuts Friday night. In addition it was the first game for coach Kelly Packard, who replaces Tracy Roller this season.
"Everything's new at Ball State," Packard said. "New systems offensively, new systems defensively and I think we're still working through some of that.
"One of the big positives with this group, they're a wonderful group of ladies," Packard said. "I told them to keep our outlook strong and we'll work on the basketball side."
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