Dec. 19, 2009

Box Score

PITTSBURGH - Ball State's Emily Maggert recorded game-highs of 25 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Cardinals to a 71-62 victory over the Duquesne women's basketball team on Saturday afternoon.

The Dukes fall to 8-4 on the season while BSU improves to 5-5.

Samantha Pollino scored a season-best 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting and Keri Pryor recorded her first double-double of the season with 13 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Kelly Britcher added 12 points.

DU held the lead until the 12:30 mark of the first half when an Audrey McDonald steal transitioned into a Danielle Gratton 3-pointer to put Ball State up 14-13.

The half would see four more lead changes, the last coming on a Maggert layup with 6:08 remaining in the half that gave the Cardinals a 22-21 advantage and started a 13-3 run to close out the half with BSU ahead 33-24.

Ball State kept their momentum in starting out the second half, building a 17-point lead, 47-30, with 13:56 to play.

Duquesne would narrow the gap to nine points after back-to-back 3-pointers by Britcher and Pollino made the score 51-42 midway through the second half.

BSU would score the next two baskets, giving them a 13-point lead before DU went on an 11-0 run over then next 2:06 to get within two points at 55-53 with 6:12 left.

However, McDonald and Maggert drained back-to-back 3-pointers starting an 11-0 run of their own giving the Cardinals a 13-point advantage, 66-53, with just over three minutes left in regulation.

Duquesne would cut the deficit to eight points with 1:36 to play, but would get no closer.

The Dukes finished with season-lows 30 percent shooting (20-66) from the floor and 15 percent shooting (3-20) from beyond-the-arc.

Duquesne visits Saint Francis, Pa. on Monday for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff against the Red Flash.

GAME NOTES

• Pollino was one point shy of tying her career-high of 23 points
  
• Pryor's double-double was her fourth of her career
  
• Maggert's career-high of 25 points, 11 field goals and 11-of-14 (.786) shooting are all opponent season-highs
  
• DU assisted on 16 of their 20 field goals.

Ball State vs. Duquesne