CMU finishes the season 11-17 and 8-8 in the MAC after a 77-74 loss to Ball State on Tuesday.
The guard tandem of senior Kendra Holman (13 points) and junior Shonda Long led a 3-point blitz that helped CMU open a 24-13 lead with 7:58 remaining in the first half. But the exit of junior forward Kaihla Szunko with two fouls allowed Ball State to go on a 12-5 run to get back into the game with 3:29 remaining in the first half.
“I wasn’t playing smart and had picked up those two early fouls, which was pretty frustrating, and had a few turnovers,” Szunko said.
CMU held on to a 38-30 lead at halftime after shooting 41.2 percent from the floor, including going 7-of-15 from 3-point range.
Szunko scored CMU’s first 10 points, but Ball State seniors Audrey McDonald and Danielle Gratton took over the game after being held scoreless in the first half. Gratton scored eight of her 11 points at the start of the second half to help close the Chippewas’ lead to four points, while McDonald hit a 3-pointer with 14:56 remaining in the second half to give Ball State its first lead.
“They did a really nice job with their size and physicality of beating us down low,” Guevara said. “With Shonda Long and Stefanie Mauk having to play down low, we’re just not as strong and big as Ball State was.”
After both teams traded leads for more than seven minutes, McDonald (13 points) hit a 3-pointer with 8:15 remaining to put Ball State up 61-58, a lead that CMU would never overcome.
Szunko led CMU with a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds, her 10th double-double of the season. Long added 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting.
Ball State (13-16, 7-10 MAC) outrebounded the Chippewas 50-38, grabbing 25 offensive rebounds.