CLEVELAND - A 3-pointer from junior forward Emily Gratton tied the game at 51, and a wide-open finger roll from senior guard Porchia Green with 25 seconds remaining in the second half proved to be the winning points as the Ball State University women's basketball team won its first-ever Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship and will advance to its first-ever NCAA Tournament by defeating Bowling Green State University 55-51 at Quicken Loans Arena.
"There isn't anything that I could be more proud of than watching something begin in May, when this program went through transition, and to finish on March 15, 2009," first-year coach Kelly Packard said. "The something very special has been these young ladies and what we've worked so hard at - friendship, relationship, teammates, encouragers - all of those things that go into keeping yourself healthy enough relationally and to put yourself in a position to win at the end, and that's exactly what they've done and I couldn't be prouder for each and every one of them."
Bowling Green coach Curt Miller said it was Ball State's upperclassmen leadership that was the difference in today's game.
"Give lots of credit to Ball State down the stretch," Miller said. "Seniors make play when they're important, and Danielle Gratton's 3-pointer with a minute to go as a fourth-year junior, and Porchia Green's athletic rebound to put them ahead to stay were by seniors, and seniors make big plays at this time of the year."
With the win, the Cardinals improve to 25-8 and set a single-season record for wins in a season.
Ball State trailed 31-26 after the first half when it was out-rebounded 23-14, including 12-4 on the offensive glass, leading to a 7-3 second-chance scoring advantage for the Falcons.
But the Cardinals made an 8-2 run to begin the second half and Bowling Green (28-4, 15-1 MAC) made 1-of-16 shots to begin the period to put the Cardinals right back in the game. Ball State also out-rebounded Bowling Green 20-17 in the second half.
The Falcons' junior guard Niki McCoy scored five straight points from the 2:22 mark to give Bowling Green a 51-48 lead when Gratton hit the 3-pointer to tie the game going into the final minute.
Gratton swallowed a defensive rebound on the Falcons' next shot, which led to Green's eventual game-winning lay-in.
"I saw an opportunity," Green said. "As a leader and as a senior, it was an opportunity where I think I could step up to the plate."
To add an exclamation point, junior guard Audrey McDonald stole the ball on Bowling Green's next possession and found none other than Green, the First Team All-MAC selection, wide open for a fastbreak layup to make the final score.
The Cardinals were led by sophomore forward Emily Maggert's game-high 14 points with two steals. Gratton had nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds, Green had seven points, seven rebounds and three assists, and senior guard Kiley Jarrett had nine points, three rebounds, three assists to go with her game-best five steals to offset her five turnovers.
Freshman guard Patrice King came off the bench to add eight points for Ball State.
For Bowling Green, McCoy had a game-high 15 points and added seven rebounds. First Team All-MAC selection, sophomore guard Tracy Pontius, had 14 points, while 2008-09 MAC Player of the Year, solphomore guard Lauren Prochaska, had seven points and seven rebounds.
For complete coverage of the Cardinals' MAC Championship run, read Monday's edition of The Ball State Daily News.
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