TOLEDO, Ohio – The Ball State ladies’s basketball staff closed out the 2025-26 common season with an exclamation level on Saturday afternoon, defeating arch-rival Toledo 78-71 at John F. Savage Arena. The victory marks the Cardinals’ twenty fifth win of the season and solidifies their place because the No. 2 seed heading into subsequent week’s Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament.
In a high-stakes rematch of the 2025 MAC Championship sport, Ball State (25-6, 16-2 MAC) relied on a dominant inside presence to beat the Rockets (15-14, 9-9 MAC). The Cardinals outscored Toledo 40-16 in the paint and managed the glass with a 50-38 rebounding benefit.
Tessa Towers anchored the inside for Ball State, sparking a 47% staff taking pictures efficiency with a dominant 22-point, 12-rebound displaying—her tenth double-double this season. Supporting the offense, Zhen Verburgt and Karsyn Norman added 14 and 11 factors, respectively. (*2*) capped the balanced assault, posting 10 factors and 10 boards for her seventh double-double of the 12 months.
The regular-season finale in Toledo served as a super preparation for the Ball State Cardinals, who secured a victory to lock in the No. 2 seed for subsequent week’s Mid-American Conference Tournament. Although Towers put Ball State on the board first with an early layup, the sport rapidly developed right into a back-and-forth wrestle with their rivals. The lead exchanged palms a number of occasions, with the Cardinals stretching their benefit to seven factors (14-7) halfway by means of the primary quarter following one other inside basket by Towers. However, the Toledo Rockets rallied earlier than the media timeout, closing the hole to take an 18-16 lead by the top of the interval.
A flurry of fast pictures beneath the basket sparked a Ball State run, as Tagayi attached with Salenbien to place the Cardinals up 23-18 in the second quarter. The momentum held by means of the break; bolstered by a clutch triple from bench standout Verburgt, Ball State headed to the locker room main Toledo, 35-26.
Following the intermission, the Cardinals maintained their momentum, clearly intent on ending the common season with an announcement win. Ball State dominated the third quarter, firing on all cylinders as Towers and Salenbien proved unimaginable for the Rockets to include inside. Capping off the body with one other Verburgt bucket, the Cardinals carried a commanding 56-39 lead into the ultimate stretch.
Ball State successfully sealed its twenty fifth win of the 12 months after constructing a dominant 62-43 lead with simply over seven minutes remaining, capped by a layup from Towers. Toledo was unable to get well from the almost 20-point deficit, permitting the Cardinals to doubtlessly declare a share of the 2026 MAC regular-season crown. The staff’s destiny now rests on the result of the Miami vs. Ohio contest, scheduled for a 6 p.m. ET tip-off tonight in Athens, Ohio.
The Ball State ladies’s basketball staff is ready to defend its 2025 MAC Tournament title this week in Cleveland. As the No. 2 seed, the Cardinals will compete in a quarterfinal matchup in opposition to the No. 7 seed at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Wednesday, March 11, in the third sport of the day.
In a high-stakes rematch of the 2025 MAC Championship sport, Ball State (25-6, 16-2 MAC) relied on a dominant inside presence to beat the Rockets (15-14, 9-9 MAC). The Cardinals outscored Toledo 40-16 in the paint and managed the glass with a 50-38 rebounding benefit.
Tessa Towers anchored the inside for Ball State, sparking a 47% staff taking pictures efficiency with a dominant 22-point, 12-rebound displaying—her tenth double-double this season. Supporting the offense, Zhen Verburgt and Karsyn Norman added 14 and 11 factors, respectively. (*2*) capped the balanced assault, posting 10 factors and 10 boards for her seventh double-double of the 12 months.
The regular-season finale in Toledo served as a super preparation for the Ball State Cardinals, who secured a victory to lock in the No. 2 seed for subsequent week’s Mid-American Conference Tournament. Although Towers put Ball State on the board first with an early layup, the sport rapidly developed right into a back-and-forth wrestle with their rivals. The lead exchanged palms a number of occasions, with the Cardinals stretching their benefit to seven factors (14-7) halfway by means of the primary quarter following one other inside basket by Towers. However, the Toledo Rockets rallied earlier than the media timeout, closing the hole to take an 18-16 lead by the top of the interval.
A flurry of fast pictures beneath the basket sparked a Ball State run, as Tagayi attached with Salenbien to place the Cardinals up 23-18 in the second quarter. The momentum held by means of the break; bolstered by a clutch triple from bench standout Verburgt, Ball State headed to the locker room main Toledo, 35-26.
Following the intermission, the Cardinals maintained their momentum, clearly intent on ending the common season with an announcement win. Ball State dominated the third quarter, firing on all cylinders as Towers and Salenbien proved unimaginable for the Rockets to include inside. Capping off the body with one other Verburgt bucket, the Cardinals carried a commanding 56-39 lead into the ultimate stretch.
Ball State successfully sealed its twenty fifth win of the 12 months after constructing a dominant 62-43 lead with simply over seven minutes remaining, capped by a layup from Towers. Toledo was unable to get well from the almost 20-point deficit, permitting the Cardinals to doubtlessly declare a share of the 2026 MAC regular-season crown. The staff’s destiny now rests on the result of the Miami vs. Ohio contest, scheduled for a 6 p.m. ET tip-off tonight in Athens, Ohio.
The Ball State ladies’s basketball staff is ready to defend its 2025 MAC Tournament title this week in Cleveland. As the No. 2 seed, the Cardinals will compete in a quarterfinal matchup in opposition to the No. 7 seed at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Wednesday, March 11, in the third sport of the day.