A lot of times a freshman, you come in and it's delicate. She’s eager to learn, she’s eager to do better, but she loves to play ball." "She’s got a coach’s brain, I think she just gets it that way. "That’s the beauty of this kid is she gets it," Sallee said. Becki seems calm and collected most of the time, but also isn't afraid to show her excitement - just watch her run around the court after the halfcourt shot against Buffalo or hitting "the griddy" dance pregame. When she's on the court, Sallee said she makes her teammates better. She doesn't need to lead the team in scoring, but has become more confident in taking the stepback 3s or driving to the rim when Ball State needs a basket. That's what makes Becki different in Sallee's mind. There have been games where Becki led the team scoring and others when Freeman, graduate Chyna Latimer, junior Annie Rauch and freshman Marie Kiefer have.
#BSU EMAIL MEANING MAC#
The Cardinals are fourth in the conference standings, 15-10 and 8-7 in MAC play with six of its seven league losses coming by six points or less. When Freeman returned, Ball State kept rolling.
"It's not necessarily hard, but it's a little nerve-wracking not being told but being expected to perform and do your best on the court."
"I think it's more expected," Becki said of being put into a leadership role. But Becki stepped into that role and Ball State hasn't missed a beat. It's not easy for a true freshman to be a leader on a team that's playing among the MAC's best. Before that, she was averaging 7.5 points. Since then, she's averaging 15.3. I didn’t have to talk to Ally and tell her that."ĭuring that two game stretch against Miami and Buffalo, Becki scored 19 and 21 points, respectively. I think what you’re starting to see right now like when Syd went out with COVID, I think what you saw with Ally kind of flourish because she had to. . She started off her career scoring 17 points against Milwaukee, hit a buzzer-beating halfcourt shot against Buffalo that made ESPN's top-10, scored 27 points against Ohio and had a near-triple-double (15 points, nine rebounds, nine assists) against Bowling Green. She's not the tallest on the roster, either. Through 25 games - Becki has started every one - she's averaging 10 points, a team-best 4.5 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game, second-best on the team. Whatever expectations were put on Becki coming into the season, she's met them. "I don't know if that was hopeful thinking or expectations." "Yeah," said Sallee, laughing after a slight pause. Following an early morning practice on a day when a snowstorm canceled in-person classes, Sallee was asked whether he expected Becki to be playing at this level this quickly. Speaking at the beginning of February, during Ball State's five-game winning streak which came after its leading scorer Anna Clephane went down with a season-ending ACL tear, Sallee was talking about Becki. But I’ve just got to keep focus and keep doing what I’m doing, doing what our team’s doing and just continue to play basketball.” "I mean, especially since everyone’s telling me and tweeting everything. "Yeah, it is," said Becki when asked if it was crazy to see her name in the mix for the award.
#BSU EMAIL MEANING FULL#
Support local journalism: Get full digital access with one of our best deals of the year Becki ended up being an Indiana All-Star, but didn't win IndyStar's Miss Basketball.Ī year later, she might be able to add a new accolade to her resume: MAC Freshman of the Year. Turns out, he was right.Ī year ago, Becki was leading Brownsburg to an eventual runner-up finish in the Class 4A Indiana State Championship game and was one of three 2021 IndyStar Miss Basketball finalists. He expected, and hoped she'd be a force in the Mid-American Conference, especially considering two of the other guards they were recruiting in her year ended up committing to MAC schools. But Becki was always the "the one" Sallee wanted.
The Ball State women's basketball coach had been recruiting Ally Becki for what he called "forever." He and his staff watched as she quickly jumped onto the scene as a freshman in high school and ended up averaging 18 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.1 steals per game as a senior. MUNCIE, Ind. - Surprised? Brady Sallee's not surprised. View Gallery: Ball State women's basketball plays Buffalo
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