By David Downham
After upsetting the University of Tennessee on Sunday, the Ball State University women's basketball team was back at it in E.A. Diddle Arena, preparing for its second-round matchup with Iowa State University in the NCAA Tournament.Ball State coach Kelly Packard and her staff endured a long night to prepare for the fourth-seeded Cyclones, but wished the Cardinals had more time to enjoy their historic win.
"I think our biggest challenge in the last 15, 16 hours, I've kind of lost track, is to allow our young ladies to enjoy, obviously, a phenomenal victory over Tennessee," Packard said. "It's just a shame that we can't live in that moment a little bit longer."
Packard said, however, that they realize they have the rest of the year to look back on some of the moments of the Tennessee game and their run.
"Right now is not the time to relive all of those," Packard said. "We have to smile and focus."
Iowa State defeated 13th-seeded East Tennessee State University 85-53 in the game prior to Ball State's 16-point win against the Lady Volunteers.
In their game Sunday, the Cyclones tied an NCAA Tournament record with 16 3-point baskets made in a game, led by guard Allison Lacey's six 3-pointers. Lacey - a junior from Australia - finished with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists in the win.
"The things that we have to focus on however defensively are much different then the things we had to focus on defensively last night," Packard said.
Iowa State has four players who average 9.8 points or more per game on the season, led by senior guard Heather Ezell, who scored 11.8 per contest. The Cyclones also have three players who have made 50 or more shots from behind the 3-point arc this season.
Packard said there are "extreme differences in preparation" from Tennessee to Iowa State that Ball State must get ready for its game today.
"[Sunday] night, we were worried about containing drivers," Packard said, "[Sunday] night, we were worried about the lob pass inside. [Sunday] night we were worried about mismatches with our guards getting posted up and all those things. Now, all the sudden, we face a team that shoots the ball tremendously well, one through five."
Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly has plenty of Mid-American Conference experience. From 1988 to 1995, Fennelly was the head coach for the University of Toledo.
"I coached in the MAC for seven years, and I know exactly what their mindset is and how they are going to play," Fennelly said.
During his tenure with Toledo, Fennelly compiled a 166-53 record overall and a .797 winning percentage in MAC play.
Fennelly, who mentioned the name "Cinderella" when describing Ball State, has been a finalist three times for the Naismith Coach of the Year Award and was runner-up for the Associated Press' Women's Coach of the Year behind Tennessee's Pat Summitt.
"To have coached in the MAC as long as I did, I understand the enthusiasm that they are playing with and the effort that they are going to give in the underdog role," Fennelly said.
Ball State senior guard Porchia Green, who was named the player of the game with her 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals against Tennessee, said the support of the Ball State fans gave the team a chance to play tonight.
"Ball State fans held it down [Sunday] night," Green said. "Even though it was that little square, that section, they were loud. We're just proud and happy for their support for following us all the way."
Ball State and Iowa State have played in multiple sports but not women's basketball.
BSU vs. ISU
- Ball State is 1-0 against Iowa State in baseball
- Ball State is 0-1 against Iowa State in football
- Ball State is 0-1 against Iowa State in men's basketball
- Ball State is 2-4 against Iowa State in softball
- Ball State is 3-0 against Iowa State in women's volleyball
No comments:
Post a Comment