CLEVELAND (AP) 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 Saturday's championship game for the first time since 2009, where the Cardinals will face third-seeded Akron.
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.
