CLEVELAND – Shelbie Justice scored 21 points as fifth-seeded Ball State upset top-seed and No. 25-ranked Bowling Green 73-55 in the Mid-American Conference tournament on Friday.
Ball State (18-15) has won seven straight after winning four games in five days to reach the championship game for the first time since 2009.
Joining Justice in double figures were Brandy Woody with 16 points, Brittany Carter 13 and Katie Murphy and Nathalie Fontaine 10 each. Ball State hit 11 of 24 3-point attempts. They shot 47.9 percent overall to Bowling Green's 33.3.
The Falcons (27-4), who came in on a 13-game winning streak and a bye into the semifinals, were led by Erica Donovan with 17 points and Jillian Halfhill with 14.
Ball State, up 33-27 at halftime, never trailed in the second half. The Cardinals scored the last 10 points of the game as the Falcons went scoreless for the final 2:24.
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