Ball State’s attack suffered what appeared to be a severe blow when the dynamic duo of Tina Bolte and Julie DeMuth couldn’t play due to injuries.

But a steady effort by 5-foot, 8-inch BSU guard Erica Cotton on offense and an aggressive performance on defense filled the void left by the team’s leading scorers. At the post-game press conference, Cotton was polite, jovial and somewhat humbled with the unfamiliar interviewing stage, so much so that Ball State coach Tracy Roller made light of the scene.

“That’s what happens when you get your career-high, Cotton,” Roller said as she laughed to her player. “You have to get up here and talk.”

But Cotton down played her game-high 17 that spelled NIU’s demise at the Convocation Center.

“Scoring isn’t really a big deal,” Cotton said. “I just wanted to give us an extra boost since we were missing our two leading scorers. That is what teams do: pick each other up. I tried to be as aggressive as I could.”

The senior guard more than doubled her season average of 3.5 points per game in the first three minutes of the second half. Cotton scored eight-straight points for BSU. A put back jumper, a three pointer from the top of the key and a three-point play the old fashioned way: a fall down fade-away jumper, foul and converted free throw. In true role-player fashion, Cotton, who also collected five rebounds, credited her teammates.

“It was a big win,” Cotton said. “There was a three-way tie for second, and I was really proud of our team.”

With the imminent return of Bolte and DeMuth from injury, the team-oriented Cotton doesn’t expect to see her name all over the headlines as being a leading scorer.

“That’s not one of my priorities,” Cotton said. “I just try and bring whatever we are missing, that’s a team, that’s what teams do.”