WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Ball State eyes WNIT opponent Northwestern

Senior guard Brandy Woody drives the ball past a Toledo player in the second half March 8 at Worthen Arena. Woody scored 11 points in the game. DN PHOTO BREANNA DAUGHERTY
Senior guard Brandy Woody drives the ball past a Toledo player in the second half March 8 at Worthen Arena. Woody scored 11 points in the game. DN PHOTO BREANNA DAUGHERTY

It was announced Monday that Ball State will take on Northwestern in the first round of the 2014 Women’s National Invitational Tournament. Almost immediately after, Ball State head coach Brady Sallee was able to download film and begin preparing for the Big Ten opponent.

He spent the next few hours studying a team he thinks, much like his own, is young and would benefit from tournament experience. Sallee knew he’d be up against coach Joe McKeown, and he’d seen sophomore Maggie Lyon through recruiting.

That night, Sallee slept for only four hours, using his time to study his opponent.

“It’s just some late nights and early mornings,” he said. “You’re trying to get as much prep time in before you go to practice.”

Northwestern posted a 15-15 record this season, and Sallee said the outcome of tournament games can be decided by personal preparation as much as breaking down another team.

In practice, Ball State spent as much time working on its craft as it did studying its opponent. They focused on a winning formula of rebounding and defensive disciplines.
Ball State and Northwestern have scored at a comparable rate through the season. The Cardinals average 68.1 points per game while the Wildcats average 69.1. Defensively, Ball State holds a two-point advantage in points per game allowed.

“They’re playing pretty well, and you’re playing pretty well or you wouldn’t be here in the first place,” Sallee said.

There won’t be a lot of tricks and gadgets in this game, he said. It comes down to putting the best product possible on the floor and hoping it’s good enough to advance.

“This tournament is something special for them with their youth,” he said. “Hopefully, it can catapult them into something great, we just don’t want it to happen against us.”

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