Although it was the men's 3-point line that was extended this season, Ball State University women's basketball guard Audrey McDonald was shooting from well behind the men's line.
And draining her shots.
"It was one of those games where it's a great rivalry," McDonald said. "We want to get them any chance we can, and we were just having fun. And when you feel like anything can go in, you shoot it every time you catch it. It was just one of those second halves where you let it fly and you hope it goes in."
The Cardinals (14-7, 6-1 Mid-American Conference) defeated Miami University 81-66 on Saturday in Worthen Arena as sophomore Emily Gratton had a team-high 19 points and McDonald had 17 points.
The RedHawks (11-9, 3-4 MAC) didn't have an answer for Gratton on the defensive end, and coach Kelly Packard said before the game that she told her team that.
"I thought we would take the opportunity to show Danielle off a little bit," Packard said. "I felt she was a really tough match up for them because she has both perimeter and post abilities in her skill sets, and she truly did that. I think she did show off."
Gratton was 8-of-13 from the floor, making 2-of-3 3-pointers, and had seven rebounds. She also had two assists and two blocks. In a span of 61 seconds in the early stages of the second half, Gratton scored eight points off two lay-ups, a free throw and a 3-pointer to stretch the lead to nine points.
Gratton has averaged 20 points in the last two games but was shooting 28.5 percent from the field in the three games before that. A few good practices got Gratton out of her rut, she said.
"You gain confidence with every practice, and the team was coming off a couple good practices, and so was I," Gratton said. "You'll always get in a rut, and as long as you find yourself and stay with the team and do other things on the court, you're fine."
Miami guard Jenna Schone scored 23 points and had six of the RedHawks' 15 assists.
Packard said Schone is one of the best players in the MAC and thought her team played well against her.
"We defiantly strategically defensively had three ways to defend some of the actions that they get in their offensive sets," Packard said. "And I really felt we did a decent job with many of them. She's so explosive."
The Cardinals held the 55th ranked 3-point shooting team in the country to 2-of-10. Miami's loss was the first time the RedHawks made less than three from behind the 3-point line.
Ball State had a season low nine turnovers. Packard said at the pace her team plays, there are risks for turnovers.
"It takes a while to balance that type of pace with good decision making," she said. "And we haven't always balanced it. I think if I had to say the pace we want, with the decisions, I would think this one would finish first in the 21 games we've played so far."
With the win, Ball State moved into sole possession of first place in the MAC West. Packard said in order to reach the team's goal of winning the MAC Championship, it will have to continue to get better.
"We have a lot of measurable, specific goals, en route to the goal, which is to win the MAC Championship," Packard said. "I think the measurable goals that we have that we grade ourselves on from game to game are significant because you can have a goal but you better have ways to make sure that you are accountable and that you're on track, and I'll say that we're on track with the goals that we have right now."
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