KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Sophomore Deja Wimby's career-high 24 points wasn't enough to lift the Western Michigan women's basketball team over Ball State, who came away with a 72-63 win over the Broncos at University Arena Wednesday night. WMU falls to 16-10, 7-8 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) while the Cardinals improved to 19-8 and 12-3 in the MAC.
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Wimby finished with 24 points, surpassing her preview career-high of 23 set two games ago at Bowling Green. Sophomore Breanna Mobley finished with 15 points and eight rebounds, including 11 points in the first quarter. LaTondra Brooks was also in double-figures, scoring 10 points and tying a career-high with six steals. Senior Meredith Shipman hit a pair of 3-pointers, making this the 11th straight game she's made at least two triples.
Ball State scored the field goal of the game and never trailed again the rest of the way, but the Broncos were able to tie it up once more. The Cardinals shot 71.4 percent from the floor in the first quarter to get out to a 25-20 lead after one, then extended the lead to 48-41 at halftime. The third quarter was much different, as both teams scored 20 or more points in each quarter but the third, where the Broncos outscored the Cardinals 10-7.
From the 6:50 mark in the third quarter to the 9:04 mark in the fourth, the Broncos used a 14-2 run to comeback and tie the game at 55-55, but the Cardinals went on to hit their final 10 field goals to close out the game.
The Broncos won the rebounding battle 34-32, but were outshot by BSU 58.8 percent to 40.6 percent. Ball State also finished with 19 turnovers to the Broncos 14, but had more assists (22-14). WMU, who came in as the MAC's leader in steals, finished with nine.
The Broncos will head to Toledo on Saturday, Feb. 25 to battle the Rockets at 2 p.m. in Savage Arena before returning home for two straight to close out the regular season.
