MUNCIE, Ind. – The Miami University women’s basketball team ran into a hot shooting Ball State squad, while a tough night handling the ball led to a 72-41 defeat Wednesday evening in Muncie. The RedHawks fall to 3-10 overall and 0-2 in the Mid-American Conference. The Cardinals improve to 6-7 overall and 2-0 in the MAC.
Freshman guard Ana Richter started for the second time this season and put together a solid game to lead Miami. She finished 6-for-8 from the field, leading the ‘Hawks with 14 points. She also had a team-high seven rebounds and also contributed two assists in 30 minutes of action.
The teams traded baskets for the first six minutes of the contest. After a three-pointer from Richter, layups from freshman guard Baleigh Reid and junior forward Hannah McCue gave Miami a 7-6 lead. Ball State responded with a 10-0 run over the next four minutes to take a 16-7 advantage with 11:11 left in the half.
McCue drained a three-pointer off an assist from senior point guard Courtney Larson, while a jumper from Richter made it 21-15 at the 8:31 mark. With the score 25-19, the ‘Hawks went scoreless over the next five minutes to allow the Cardinals to push the advantage to 38-19. A jumper from freshman guard/forward Molly McDonagh and a free throw from Reid sent Miami into the break trailing 38-22.
The teams were almost even shooting in the first half. The RedHawks were 9-for-20 (45.0 percent), while Ball State was 15-for-31 (48.4 percent). The difference came in 14 turnovers for Miami, while Nathalie Fontaine was hot for the Cardinals, finishing the half with 20 points.
Ball State opened up a 50-26 lead to begin the second half. A 6-0 run featuring baskets from Richter and freshman guard Kayla Brown got the ‘Hawks to within 18 at 50-32 with 13:40 to go. That would be as close as Miami would get as a 16-6 run over the next eight minutes put the contest away.
For the game the RedHawks 41.7 percent (15-for-36), while the Cardinals shot 47.5 to (28-for-59). Miami had a 30-29 rebounding advantage over BSU, but was hurt by its 31 turnovers. In addition to Richter’s 14 points, McCue had seven, while McDonagh scored six. Fontaine finished with 27 to lead Ball State.
After six games away from home, Miami finally returns to Millett Hall on Saturday when it hosts Buffalo at 3 p.m. The game is part of a doubleheader that will feature the men’s basketball team taking on Eastern Michigan at 5:30 p.m.
