Mid-American Conference

Northern Illinois 79, Delaware State 59
Ohio 82, Manhattan 58
Toledo 69, Arizona 54
Duquesne 82, Ball State 62
#16 Michigan State 85, Miami 39

Courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments

Northern Illinois 79, Delaware State 59
LAS VEGAS - Northern Illinois University (2-4) scored a season-high 79 points, shooting 27-for-50 from the field, as five-different Huskies reached double-digits as NIU defeated Delaware State, 79-59. The Hornets (1-6) entered the game averaging 74-points per game.

Senior Amanda Corral (Hobart, Ind./Hobart) led all NIU scorers in the contest as she scored 18-points with an 8-for-10 effort from the field. Ally Lehman (13), Danny Pulliam (10), Renee Sladek (15) and Jenna Thorp (12) also scored in double figures for the Huskies on the night, the first time NIU accomplished the feat this season.

Three-pointers and free throws also added to the Huskies big victory as NIU was 4-for-5 behind the arc and 21-for-30 at the charity stripe.

"I thought Delaware State pressured us well so we ran when we should have and pulled it back (to shoot) when we should have," said Head Coach Kathi Bennett. "We looked good in the open courts, knocked down shots and executed well. Amanda shot the ball phenomenally and made the baskets on the open looks that they gave us. It was nice to see us score and make the open looks that they gave to us."

NIU operated its offense and defense with a confidence in the first period as it held Delaware State to 22 points, not allowing the Hornets to score in the final six minutes of the half, and scored 36 points. The Huskies ended the period shooting 13-for-25, a field goal clip of 52-percent.

Rebounding was a major factor for NIU as it overpowered DSU, 19-8, including an 8-2 margin on the offensive glass, which led to the Huskies outscoring the Hornets, 10-0. NIU also recorded four fast break layups in the period. NIU led at halftime, 36-22.

Three Huskies - Lehman (Nineveh, Ind./Indian Creek), Pulliam (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike) and Thorp (Hinckley, Ill./Hinckley-Big Rock) - all scored eight points in the first period, with Pulliam hitting her two three-point baskets in the period.

NIU opened the second half 10-of-13 from the field (.770) as it built an 18-point lead halfway through the stanza. The wide open second half allowed the Huskies and Hornets to combine for 80 points (43-37, NIU) and 12 fast break field goals with NIU hitting nine of those.

Ball movement was at a premium for NIU in the contest as it accounted for 19 assists on their 27 field goals in the contest, led by Pulliam who had seven helpers.

The NIU bench outscored the DSU bench in the contest, 11-0, as Kelly Smith (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) added nine points to the NIU total.

The Huskies led by as much as 22-points in the game, reaching the pinnacle with 2:22 left on the clock and holding that 20-point mark for the final ticks of the clock.

One year to the day was the last time NIU won by 20-or-more points on the road or in a neutral site as the Huskies defeated Lamar in the Aggie Hotel Encanto Thanksgiving Classic in Las Cruces, N.M., 79-52.

NIU will take a two week break before returning to action on December 14 when it heads to Missouri for a non-conference showdown with the Tigers. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. Central. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network +.


Ohio 82, Manhattan 58
The Short Story: Mariah Byard led the Bobcats (5-0) with 24 points and helped the Ohio women's basketball team defeat Manhattan (1-4) 82-58 Sunday afternoon at the Convocation Center.

OHIO STARTERS: #2 Mariah Byard, #4 Kiyanna Black, #5 Quiera Lampkins, #10 Lexie Baldwin, #14 Kat Yelle

MANHATTAN STARTERS: #1 Jacqui Thompson, #14 Taylor Williams, #32 Nyasha Irizarry, #34 Shayna Ericksen, #35 Kayla Gimme

How It Happened:
- Mariah Byard scored a career-high 24 points and was 8-of-12 from three-point range.
- Byard's eight threes were also a career high for the senior.
- Tmisht Stinson recorded a career-high in rebounds with three and scored four points for the Bobcats.
- The Bobcat defense forced 21 turnovers and produced 25 points off those turnovers.
- Ohio grabbed 29 rebounds.
- Quiera Lampkins led the Bobcats with eight rebounds, the third time this season that she has led the team in rebounds.
- Lexie Baldwin scored a season-high 16 points and was seven-of-seven from field goal range.
- Byard was also 8-of-12 from field goal range.
- The Bobcats shot 55.4% from field the field. The last time Ohio shot at least 55% from the field was Feb. 11, 2012 against Ball State.
- The Bobcats dished out 25 assists. That is the second time this season they have registered at least 20 assists (22 vs. Murray State). 
- As a team, the Bobcats shot 48.4% from three-point range, making 15 out of 31 attempts.
- With 2:58 left in the game, the Bobcats led by 32 points, their longest lead of the game.
- Three Bobcats scored in double-figures; Byard (24), Baldwin (16) and Hannah Boesinger (12).
- The Bobcat defense held Manhattan to 22 points in the first half.
- For Manhattan, Shayna Ericksen led the team with 15 points.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Bobcats are 5-0 to start the season for the first time since 2006.
- The last time the Bobcats won five games in a row was Jan. 19-Feb. 2 of 2008.
- The last time the Bobcats scored between 80-89 points was Feb. 22, 2014 in a loss to Akron.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Bob Bolden:
“We talked about sharing the ball. Obviously, 25 assists is a good number. We have an incredibly unselfish team.  We don’t have kids who are necessarily hunting for their shot. Good, bad or indifferent, this team has never been selfish, which is a pleasure to coach from our standpoint. They’re willing to make extra passes. They’re willing to get their teammates shots. They don’t worry about how many points they’ve scored. That’s a blessing when you’re trying to build a team chemistry and I think this team does that very, very well.”

Senior Guard Mariah Byard
“Our point guards do a great job. They have a really tough job out there. They’re always pressuring the ball and are always the ones up and down the court pushing our up-tempo pace. They always set us up with great shots and I’m very thankful for their skills.”

Sophomore Forward Lexie Baldwin
“It’s just fun to play. Once we get a lead, everyone is happy and into the game as we keep going up.”

COMING UP
The Bobcats return to action Wednesday, Dec. 3 to take on Morehead State. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. at the Convocation Center and is apart of Education Day.


Toledo 69, Arizona 54
MIAMI, FL – Toledo secured an impressive 69-54 victory over Arizona in Sunday’s championship game of the FIU Thanksgiving Classic in FIU Arena. With the dominating win, UT improves to 3-2 on the season.

Senior Inma Zanoguera garnered Tournament MVP accolades for the victorious Rockets and tied her career high for the second-straight contest, finishing with 24 points, seven boards, four helpers and three thefts.

During the two-game tourney, Zanoguera contributed 24.0 points, 6.0 caroms, 7.0 dimes and 1.5 steals in 38.0 minutes. The two-time All-MAC performer shot a combined 13-of-18 from the floor and a flawless 18-of-18 from the free-throw line to help the Midnight Blue & Gold claim its 10th pre-conference tourney crown in school history.

Junior Ana Capotosto added 13 points and freshman all-tourney performer Michaela Rasmussen tacked on 11 points versus the Wildcats to propel Toledo to back-to-back wins for the first time this season. The Rockets defeated ACC member Virginia, 64-62, in the first round of the FIU tourney on Friday.

As a team, the Rockets shot 43.8 percent (21-of-48) from the floor, including 21.1 percent (4-of-19) from three-point range, and a sizzling 88.5 percent (23-of-26) from the free throw line.

Malena Washington paced UA (2-3) with 12 points off the bench, followed by Keyahndra Cannon and LaBrittney Jones with 11 and 10 each.

The Wildcats looked sharp early and raced out to an 11-4 lead at the 12:11 mark. Dejza James and Jones combined for seven of the points to create a three-possession cushion.

UT then started to warm up at both ends of the court and ended the first half on an 18-6 run to create a 28-22 advantage at the intermission. Zanoguera scored the teams’ final eight points and 10 total in the game-changing stretch to open up a six-point cushion at the half.

With the offense clicking, Toledo turned up the intensity defensively and limited Arizona to just one field goal over the final 5:30 of the period and never looked back.  

Toledo kept the edge to start the second half and scored the first seven points to extend the margin to 35-22 with 18:18 remaining in regulation. Capotosto capped the run with a traditional three-point play to establish a double-digit lead.

The Rockets remained focused as the second period wore on and strung together an 11-0 run to put the game out reach, 49-29, at the 8:57 mark. UT never let the lead fall below 13 points for the remainder of regulation to post the impressive 15-point triumph.

Toledo put on a defensive clinic after a hot start offensively from Arizona and held the Pac-12 affiliate to 32.8 percent (19-of-58) from the field, including 18.8 percent (3-of-16) from three-point land.

The Rockets return to the hardwood on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at Atlantic 10 power Dayton. The opening tip against the Flyers is slated for 11:00 a.m.


Duquesne 82, Ball State 62
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State women’s basketball team suffered an 82-62 loss to Duquesne Sunday afternoon at Worthen Arena in the championship game of the Ball State Federal Credit Union Thanksgiving Classic.

With the loss, the Cardinals fall to 2-3 overall, while Duquesne improved to 3-3 on the season.

Sophomore guard Calyn Hosea led the Cardinals with a career best 16-point performance, while adding five rebounds.  Sophomore Renee Bennett scored 11 points and also pulled down five rebounds on the day, while junior Nathalie Fontaine finished the day with 10.

For the first time in five games the Cardinals struggled from the floor, the Dukes shot 53.6 percent, while Ball State was held to 39.1 percent shooting.

Duquesne started the game with a 21-9 run before  Moriah Monaco snapped the Dukes scoring spree by knocking down a three pointer at the 10:16 mark to pull the Cardinals within nine.

The Dukes then went up by 15 (31-16) with 6:31 remaining in the first half before the Cardinals answered with an 18-10 run to make it an seven-point ball game (41-34) at the half.

Duquesne remained hot from the floor in the second half, eventually building its largest lead of the contest, a 23-point cushion (73-50) with 5:44 remaining in the game.

With the win Duquesne was crowned the champion of the 2014 Ball State Federal Credit Union Thanksgiving Classic.  Jackson State won the consolation game after defeating Murray State in overtime, 90-81.  The head coaches of each team put four players on the all-tournament team -- Nathalie Fontaine (Ball State), Deva’Nyar Workman (Duquesne), Ayanna, Hardy-Fuller (Jackson) and Ke’Shaun James (Murray State) – while the tournament’s Most Valuable Player was April Robinson of Duquesne.

Ball State returns to Worthen Arena Saturday when it hosts Oakland for a 4 p.m. tipoff.  The game is part of a double-header with the Ball State men’s basketball team, which will play at 2 p.m. against Indiana State.


#16 Michigan State 85, Miami 39
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Miami University women’s basketball team ran into a hot-shooting Michigan State team on Sunday and the 16th-ranked Spartans came away with an 85-39 win in East Lansing. The RedHawks fall to 1-3 on the season, while MSU improves to 4-1.

Freshman guard Baleigh Reid led Miami with 10 points, the fourth consecutive game to start her career that she finished in double figures. Freshman guards Kayla Brown and Ana Richter each scored nine for the RedHawks.

A slow offensive start by Miami allowed Michigan State to jump to a 10-1 lead in the first four minutes of the contest. A layup from Brown gave the RedHawks their first basket. Reid hit a layup and Richter drained a three-pointer, but the Spartans increased their advantage to 25-11 with 8:11 left in the half.

Miami played strong defense, at one point forcing Michigan State into turnovers on five straight possessions. However the RedHawks were unable to take advantage on the offensive end as the Spartan defense held tough. For the half, Miami forced 13 MSU turnovers, but only scored five points off of them.

A 9-2 run by the Spartans put them in control at 34-13 with 3:32 remaining in the half. A layup by Brown ended the run, while a layup from freshman forward Molly McDonagh sent the ‘Hawks into the break trailing, 41-19.

Michigan State opened up the second half on a 14-4 run to open up a 57-23 lead with 11:12 remaining. Freshman guard Jazz Smith and junior forward Jessica Rupright hit layups to end the run, while redshirt sophomore forward Tamira Ford scored four points late, but Miami was unable to get any  closer as the Spartans went on to take an 85-39 win.

For the game the RedHawks shot 23.9 percent (12-for-48), while the Spartans shot 53.0 percent (35-for-66). Michigan State held a 49-28 advantage on the boards, and were led by Anna Morrissey with 17 points.

Miami returns to action on Wednesday when it hosts Valparaiso at noon for the second annual “Lunch at Millett” contest. Tim Bray has the call and it can seen live on Miami All-Access for those who have a subscription.