Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Northern Illinois University
Women's Basketball Returns to Worthen Arena for Midweek #MACtion Wednesday Against NIU
February 03, 2026 | Women's Basketball
| Ball State vs. Northern Illinois | #MACtion | ESPN+ | National Girls & Women's in Sports Day | |
| Game 23 vs. Northern Illinois | Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026 |
| Gameday Info | Live Stats | ESPN+ | Listen | Tickets |
| Game Notes and Media Info | Ball State | Northern Illinois |
| Social Media | X (Twitter) | Instagram | Facebook |
It's #MACtion Time:
- This will mark the 70th 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 44-25. In their first meeting this season, Ball State defeated NIU by a score of 74-56 at the Convocation Center on Jan. 3, 2026.
- In his last 14 seasons, Brady Sallee owns an 19-8 mark against the Huskies.
- The Cardinals typically carry on their success throughout the month of February in preparation for the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Under head coach Brady Sallee the Cardinals own a 61-39 (.603) record in February with his best season being in 2019-20 as Ball State posted a 7-1 ledger that year.
- The Ball State women's basketball team moved to 9-1 in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play following a dominant 101–91 road victory over Kent State on February 1, 2026. The Cardinals currently hold a 17-5 overall record and sit in second place in the conference standings, trailing only undefeated Miami (OH). In their recent win at the M.A.C. Center, the Cardinals utilized a relentless offensive attack, shooting 52.1% from the floor. Three players scored 20+ points with Tessa Towers leading the way with a career best 29 points while also pulling down 11 rebounds for her seventh double-double.
Strong Shooting Under Sallee:
Brady Sallee is known for developing his players into strong shooters, over the years. In the last two seasons the Cardinals have ranked in the top 75 nationally in offense. In 2023-24 the Cardinals were 53rd in offense averaging 72.7 points per game while in 2024-25 Ball State finished the year ranked 72nd averaging 72.5 points per game. This season the Cardinals rank in the nation: 29th in field goal
percentage (45.8), 54th in field goal defense (337.3) and 29th in scoring offense (78.1).
Where We Rank in the MAC:
Ball State remains at the top of the charts in assists per game (18.9),assist/turnover ratio (1.07), field goal percentage (45.8), field goal percentage defense (37.3), rebound margin (10.5), defensive rebounds per game (30.5), rebounds per game (44.14) and scoring offense (78.1).
Top 100 in the Nation:
Ball State players are moving up in the national rankings each week as Tessa Towers ranks 22nd in field goal percentage (56.8). Towers also sits in 49th in double-doubles (7), 71st in rebounds (181), 74th in field goals (133) and 83rd in rebounds per game (8.2). Also in the top 100, is Karsyn Norman who is 48th in assists (105), 49th in assists per game (4.8) and 86th in assist/turnover ratio (1.81) while Bree Salenbien ranks 49th in double-doubles (7) and 79th in free throw percentage (83.1). Finishing up the top 100 is Grace Kingery as she ranks 38th in 3-pointers (58), 40th in 3-pointers per game (2.64), 62nd in 3-point percentage (39.5) and 64th in 3-point attempts (147).
International Success:
The Cardinals have had plenty of international success under 14th year head coach Brady Sallee. We all remember Nathalie Fontaine the 6-2 guard from Stockholm, Sweden became Ball State's all-time leading scorer with 2,166 points. The 2016 MAC Player of the Year and AP honorable mention averaged 21.0 points per game and 10.2 rebounds while making over 50 percent of her shots. After Fontaine was Carmen Grande a native from Madrid, Spain who held onto the all-time assists record with 697 until Ally Becki surpassed her last season with 721 and we also cannot forget Thelma Dis Agustsdottir from Keflavik, Iceland who holds the all-time 3-point record with 325 treys. Agustsdottir also competed at the Celsius 3-point championship at the NCAA Tournament.
Tessa Towers Earns MAC Player of the Week:
Towers delivered a dominant week for Ball State, capped by a career-defining performance on national television. The highlight of the week came on February 1 at Kent State. In a 101-91 victory broadcast on CBS Sports Network, Towers exploded for a career-best 29 points and 11 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season. Earlier in the week, Towers was instrumental in a 76-70 road win at Central Michigan where she scored 15 points and pulled down seven rebounds against the Chippewas. For the week, Towers averaged 22.0 points per game, 9.0 rebounds while shooting 56 percent (18-32) from the field and 72 percent (8-11) from the charity stripe.
