EVANSVILLE – A big third quarter from Ball State proved to be the difference on Monday evening as the University of Evansville women's basketball team fell 73-53 to the visiting Cardinals at the Ford Center.
Sara Dickey once again led the Purple Aces (1-9) in scoring in the contest with 19 points, marking the fourth consecutive game that the junior out of Montezuma, Ind., hit double digits. She also got help from Kenyia Johnson and Peyton Langston, who chipped in 10 points apiece, and Johnson also picked up her first career double-double with a career-best 10 rebounds as well.
However the trio would be out-matched by Ball State's Nathalie Fontaine, who finished the night with 43 points, going 16-of-24 from the field and 11-of-13 at the free-throw line.
Fontaine found her groove early for the Cards (7-3), putting up 15 points in the first half, but a hard-nosed defensive effort from the Aces in the second quarter sent the game into the break all even at 28-28.
"I was really excited at halftime about the way we played defense," UE head coach Oties Epps said. "That was some of the best defense that we've played all year. We needed that, but we still need to work on the way that we start second halves. Unfortunately, we just didn't have it right away. They came out strong, and it got away from us."
The Aces outscored the visitors from Muncie, Ind., 11-7 in the second frame, but Fontaine would rack up 19 points in the third quarter to put BSU in control.
Evansville will return to action on Dec. 29 as the Aces will close out the non-conference season with IUPUI at the Ford Center. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
NOTES: UE is now 7-8 all-time against Ball State … The Aces and Cardinals have met in nine consecutive seasons and in 11 of the past 12 … Sara Dickey has scored 10 or more points in all but two games this season … Kenyia Johnson's previous career high in rebounds was six … Monday marked the third game this season that the Aces had played at the Ford Center … BSU's Nathalie Fontaine set a school record and a Ford Center record with 43 points in the contest.
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