WACO, Tx. (WISH) — The Ball State University women’s basketball team had a season to remember. The Cardinals advanced to their first NCAA Tournament since 2009 after winning the MAC Tournament Championship last weekend against Toledo. The magical year though came to an end on Friday evening after the No. 12-seeded Cardinals fell to the No. 5-seeded Ole Miss Rebels 83-65 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Waco, Tx. “The group I just got to coach this year and a little bit longer than that, it is something that coaches only dream of,” Ball State head coach Brady Sallee said. “So proud of them. So happy for them that they got to end it in the NCAA Tournament.” The Rebels built a 14-lead by halftime, taking a 37-23 lead into the locker room. The Rebels never looked back in the second half. Ole Miss controlled the paint on Friday. The Rebels outrebounded the Cardinals 53-31. They also had more points in the paint (46) than Ball State (28). “I thought we threw the first punch,” Sallee said. “We kind of settled in and we made some shots there. Then I thought in transition, they got it on the rim, and where they had settled for some early jump shots, they got it on the rim, and they settled themselves down with a couple transition buckets.” Ball State senior guard Ally Becki, a Brownsburg, Ind. native, led all scorers with 19 points in her final game as a Cardinal. She was 8-of-16 (50%) from the field, including 3-of-6 (50%) from behind-the-arc. “The four years went by so fast,” Becki said. “I can’t even put into words how fast it went, but it felt like a long time, too. I mean, I don’t know. The whole ride, my freshman through senior year, just amazing, honestly. All the people that have went through Ball State with or without me or without us and all the coaches, I’m kind of just forever grateful for them. They made an impact on my life, and I’m just trying to do the same thing.” Ole Miss senior forward Starr Jacobs led the Rebels with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Her teammate, senior guard Kennedy Todd-Williams had a double-double as well, finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds against Ball State. The Cardinals finish the year with a 27-8 overall record. ...read more read less