'Twas Right Before Tipoff

‘Twas right before tipoff, when all through the stands
Not many were cheering or clapping their hands.
The crowd for Ball State’s Women’s Basketball team
Was depressingly quiet and small, it did seem.
To the Cardinals poor record this likely was due;
They had won three of five but then dropped the last two.
The fans of Ball State were distressed for good reason;
The Cardinals were picked as MAC Champs in preseason.
When out of the tunnel there emerged such a crew,
The crowd couldn’t help but feel confidence renew.
Up to their feet rose the faithful and strong,
Ready to belt out the Ball State fight song.
The scoreboard above gave the court a warm glow
As it shone down upon the arena below.
When, what to the joy and delight of the crowd,
Came a veteran team led by Cardinals proud.
With a lively young coach as the team’s main controller,
I knew in a moment it must be Coach Roller.
More rapid than eagles she huddled her troops,
And gave them a speech about how to play hoops;
“Now Porchia! Now Audrey! Now Julie DeMuth!
On, Lisa! On, Kiley! On, key substitutes!
From the top of the key to the baseline and basket!
Score away! Steal away! Rebound and pass it!”
They’d lost to some schools with big programs and names
As they trudged through their trying non-conference games.
So onto the court strolled the Cardinals solumn,
Determined to once again grace the win column.
And then, in a twinkling, the whistle was heard,
And the Illinois State game was on, in a word.
Though the Cardinals established a lead early on,
After just a few minutes, that advantage was gone.
The Redbirds scored 20 of the next 24,
And the Cards trailed by 14 with half the game o’er.
Their desire to win no one was disputing,
But desire can’t overcome terrible shooting.
Their shots – how they missed! Their free throws sub-par!
With only three-pointers they didn’t get far!
They shot just twenty-seven percent from the floor.
But after the break, the Redbirds wanted more.
They scored the first six and never looked back;
There was no late Cardinal scoring attack.
In spite of a 19-point game from DeMuth,
The scoreboard displayed the unfortunate truth.
Ball State had been handled, outplayed, and was beat.
They ended the game with another defeat.
Superior shooting sent the Cardinals hiking.
They were now 3-5, to Coach Roller’s disliking.
And watching the close of the game they conceded,
And shaking her head, off the court she proceeded.
She turned to the bench, to her team gave a squawk,
And away they all marched to their locker room talk.
But I heard her exclaim, ere she walked out of sight,
“Merry Christmas to all – at least we put up a fight.”