MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND
Saturday, March 6 • 2 p.m.
No. 10 Western Michigan (9-20, 4-12 MAC) at No. 7 Ball State (13-16, 7-9 MAC)
Location: Muncie, Ind.
Site: Worthen Arena (11,500)
All-Time Series: WMU leads, 32-31
Radio: WQXC, 100.9 F.M. - Robin Hook (play-by-play), Click here to listen online
Live Stats & Web Streaming: available at http://ballstatesports.com/
MAC Tournament Bracket attached in pdf form at bottom of page.
KALAMAZOO, Mich.- No. 10 seed Western Michigan travels to No. 7 seed Ball State Saturday in a first-round matchup of the Mid-American Conference women's basketball Tournament. The winner will advance to Cleveland on Wednesday, where No. 2 seed and West division winner Toledo awaits.
WMU TOURNAMENT RUNS
Western Michigan has two MAC Tournament Championships in school history, the first title coming in 1985 and its last in 2003. The Brown & Gold made one other appearance in the championship game in 1988 and fell to Bowling Green. As a No. 4 seed in 2003, the Broncos are the lowest seeded team ever to win the tournament. They beat Akron, Kent State, Toledo and Ball State along the way. WMU set three MAC Tournament free throw records in 2003, and three Broncos set individual tournament records (Casey Rost, points - 80; Maria Jilian, steal - 17; Kristin Koetsier, free throws made - 32).
BSU LOOKS TO DEFEND TITLE
Ball State won its first MAC Tournament title last year after losing three times in the championship game in the past decade. One of those championship losses was to Western Michigan in 2003, 73-59. Ball State beat Miami and Buffalo in the first two rounds before dropping Bowling Green in last year's championship. The Cardinals went on to defeat No. 5 Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
MORE MAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Western Michigan is 16-20 all-time in the MAC Tournament and is 5-5 in first round games. The Broncos and Cardinals have met three times in the tournament, with BSU holding the advantage, 2-1. The last time the two met was in the quarterfinals in 2007, Ball State won 56-53. Western Michigan has made its way in to the quarterfinals in three of the last four seasons. The exception was 2009, in which WMU lost in first round to Ohio, 57-68.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
After opening the conference regular season with eight straight losses, WMU picked up momentum down the stretch, winning four of its last eight. The Broncos ended the season on a high note with back-to-back wins over Central Michigan (64-56) and Northern Illinois (54-47). That helped WMU slide up to the No. 10, passing Buffalo and Ohio in the No. 11 & 12 seeds. NIU took the No. 9 seed over WMU with a tiebreaker. Ball State edged out Miami for the No. 7 seed with a win over Central Michigan Tuesday (77-74) and a RedHawk loss to Bowling Green (63-58).
WESTERN MICHIGAN vs. BALL STATE SERIES
Western Michigan owns the all-time series against Ball State, 32-31, but has lost the last seven straight to the Cardinals. The Broncos' last victory was Feb. 17, 2007 in Kalamazoo. The trifecta of Carrie Moore, Lindsey Brown and Tiera DeLaHoussaye combined for 73 of the Broncos' 81 points. WMU opened the MAC season with a 70-55 at Ball State, Jan. 9, and fell in Kalamazoo, 78-62, on Feb. 20. The Broncos are 13-19 all-time in Muncie.
KEY STATS
In three of WMU's four MAC wins, it held its opponent under 60 points (vs. Ohio, Central Michigan and Northern Illinois). In all four victories, Western Michigan held its opponent to less than 41 percentage shooting. On the flip side, the Broncos shot better than 40 percent from the field in three of the four wins (vs. Ohio, Miami and Central Michigan.)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Miame Giden leads WMU with 14.5 ppg this season and has averaged 16.0 points and 5.5 rebounds over the two games against Ball State combined. Second in scoring is Ebony Cleary with 10.5 ppg and a team-high 6.8 rpg. Cleary however has been held to just 6.5 ppg against the Cardinals.
Leading Ball State is Emily Maggert (17.6 ppg) and Audrey McDonald (12.3 ppg, 79 made 3's). Maggert, McDonald and Ty'Ronda Benning have each averaged double figures in the two games against the Broncos. Maggert has been the biggest threat, averaging a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, and shooting 40.7 percent from the floor.
OTHER FIRST ROUND PAIRINGS
No. 9 Northern Illinois at No. 8 Miami (winner advances to face No. 1 Bowling Green)
No. 11 Ohio at No. 6 Central Michigan (winner advances to face No. 3 Kent State)
No. 12 Buffalo at No. 5 Eastern Michigan (winner advances to face No. 4 Akron)
