Ball State University
Northern Illinois University
WBB Returns to #MACtion Saturday at Northern Illinois
January 24, 2025 | Women's Basketball
The Cardinals remain undefeated in league action with a 7-0 ledger
Game #20 Cardinals vs. Huskies
Ball State (15-4, 7-0 MAC) vs. Northern Illinois (8-10, 2-5 MAC)
Jan. 25, 2025 >>Convocation Center>>2 pm ET>>DeKalb, Ill.
Opening Tip:Â
- This will mark the 68th meeting in a series that began in 1982-83 when the Cardinals defeated the Huskies 86-83 on Jan. 26 in DeKalb, Ill. The Cardinals lead the all-time series record 42-25. The Cardinals fell to the Huskies in DeKalb in their last meeting on Feb. 7 in overtime by a score of 76-71.
- Brady Sallee owns a 17-8 mark against the Huskies over an 12-year span.Â
 - Ball State has the 42nd highest win percentage 15-4 (.789) in the country in NCAA DI women's basketball and is tied for 11th in win streaks with nine. The Cardinals are one of 29 teams in the country that are undefeated in conference play.
- The Cardinals have been road warriors the past four years during Mid-American Conference  action. Ball State owns a 30-10 (.736) ledger when playing league games on the road dating back to the 2021 MAC season with its best showing being in 2021 when the Cardinals went 9-1 that year.
- For the second-straight season, the Cardinals have opened Mid-American Conference with a 7-0 ledger. Ball State remains the only team in league play that is undefeated.
- Ball State has won 11-straight MAC regular season games dating back to last year. Â The Cardinals haven't lost a regular season league contest since Feb. 24, 2024, which was at Toledo.Â
- A BIG congratulations to Ally Becki as she has received national recognition after being voted to the 2025 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Watch List. Becki currently ranks fifth in the nation in triple doubles, 15th in the nation in assists (91) and 17th in the nation in assists per game (5.7). Becki also leads the MAC in four different categories, assist/turnover ratio (2.33), assists (91), assists per game (5.7) and triple doubles (1).
- Ball State played two games in three days defeating Akron and Toledo while NIU is coming off of a 78-70 win over Eastern Michigan Wednesday in Ypsilanti.Â
NET Rankings:
The NCAA Division I net rankings have the Cardinals being ranked in the top 70 coming in at 52. Ball State has earned the highest net ranking out of all the schools in the Mid-American Conference.
Sallee is HOT in January:
It may be cold outside but the Cardinals tend to get hot in the month of January under 13th-year head coach Brady Sallee. Sallee owns an overall record of 75-29 (.721) in the month of January dating back to his first season in 2012-13.
150 Conference WINS for Sallee:
The over Toledo Monday was head coach Brady Sallee's 150th career MAC regular season victory, ranking him the third winningest coach in MAC Â women's basketball history behind his former boss Bob Lindsay (232) and Tricia Cullop (194).
