WBB Takes Down ACC Foe Pitt in First Game of the Florida Gulf Coast Women’s Basketball Tournament

Friday, November 28

Naples, Fla.

1:15

Ball State University

6-1,0-0MAC

University of Pittsburgh (Thanksgiving Tournament (Naples, Fla.)

4-4,0-0ACC

Pittsburgh

Ball St.

WBB Takes Down ACC Foe Pitt in First Game of the Florida Gulf Coast Women’s Basketball Tournament

November 28, 2025 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

NAPLES, Fla. - The Ball State women's basketball team (6-1) opened play at the Florida Gulf Coast Women's Basketball Tournament with a 55-41 victory over ACC foe Pitt (4-4) Friday afternoon at the Community School of Naples.

Today's win marks the third-straight time the Ball State women's basketball team has defeated the Panthers.

Ball State head coach Brady Sallee has now defeated a Power 4 conference team 10 times during his tenure with the Cardinals — Minnesota (54-51, 2012-13), Iowa (77-72, 2015-16), Vanderbilt (88-79, 2017-18), Purdue (66-60, 2017-18), Pitt (68-66, 2022-23), Pitt (73-62, 2023-24), Georgia (52-51, 2023-24), Texas A&M (75-62), Cincinnati (83-63) and Pitt (55-41).

After Pitt opened the contest with a 4-0 run Ball State quickly answered back with seven unanswered points to take a 7-4 edge over the Panthers at the 7:45 mark. This week's Mid-American Conference Player of the Week, Bree Salenbien, along with teammates Tessa Towers and Grace Kingery helped the Cardinals with their scoring surge. The Panthers stayed close but BSU was able to end the first quarter with a four-point (19-15) lead.

The Cardinals continued to have an upper hand over the Panthers throughout the second frame. Kingery, Salenbien and Towers combined for 14 points and seven rebounds to end the first half and give Ball State the 35-22 advantage over Pitt at intermission.

After the break, the Cardinals continued to stay atop of the Panthers. On a few occasions Pitt would creep its ways back into the game so much so that the Panthers would cut Ball State's double-digit lead it had throughout the third quarter to nine (48-39) as both teams headed into the final stanza.

Towers was sent to the line twice to start the fourth quarter. Towers went 4-for-4 from the charity stripe to put BSU back up by 13 (52-39). The Panthers, despite their efforts, were unable to keep up with the Cardinals fast paced energy. It was a highly defensive fourth quarter with Ball State outshining Pitt the remainder of the ball game.

For the contest, Salenbien led the Cardinals with 17 points and 12 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. Towers tallied her fifth double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Kingery rounded out the double-figure scoring with 12.

Ball State dominated the boards over Pitt, 51-41 while also outscoring the Panthers in the paint, 30-16.

The Ball State women's basketball team will wrap up play at the Florida Gulf Coast Women's Basketball Tournament on Saturday against Alabama A&M at 1:15 pm ET.