Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
19-5,10-1MAC
Troy University
19-5,10-2Sun Belt
Zhen Verburgt’s Late Heroics Lift Ball State Past Troy in MAC-SBC Thriller
February 07, 2026 | Women's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. – In a heart-pounding conclusion to their annual "Think Pink" game, the Ball State women's basketball team (19-5, 10-1 MAC) secured a narrow 87-86 victory over Troy University (19-5, 10-2 Sun Belt) on Saturday afternoon at Worthen Arena.
It came to no surprise that the contest would come down to the wire after the up-and-down affair that lasted the entire 40-minute duration, which consisted of nine ties and 13 lead changes. The Cardinals used a 13-1 run in the final minutes, capped off by the game-winning three-pointer from Zhen Verburgt.
The victory marks a successful sweep of the MAC-SBC Challenge for the Cardinals, who previously defeated Arkansas State in the first leg of the scheduling alliance back in November. Today's contest served a dual purpose, as both teams along with the fans dressed in pink to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research, supporting the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
The matchup featured two of the premier mid-major programs in the country. Entering the day, both sitting second in their respective conference standings. Troy jumped out to an early 22-18 lead after the first quarter, fueled by their relentless offensive rebounding—a category in which they lead the nation.
Some pivotal possessions and a successful 3-pointer as time was winding down from Gorini Giorgia allowed Ball State to erase an early deficit and take a narrow 44-40 lead over the Trojans heading into halftime.
After the break, Bree Salenbien and Gracey Kingery helped the Cardinals surge offensively, creating an eight-point gap (57-49) over the Trojans at the 6:52 mark of the third quarter. Unfortunately, the advantage didn't last long as Troy answered back with a 19-9 scoring spree to end the third frame with a 68-66 lead over the Cardinals.
The outlook appeared dire for the Cardinals as they trailed the Trojans by 11 (83-74) with a little over four minutes to play. Refusing to back down, the Cardinals ramped up their signature high-pressure defense. Kingery knocked down a pair of crucial free throws, followed by an Alba Caballero jumper and a driving layup from Karsyn Norman, cutting the deficit to six with two minutes left on the clock.
Trailing 86-80, Salenbien converted a gritty second-chance bucket before another Norman layup, which brought the Cardinals within striking distance with 49 seconds remaining in the contest. In the final seconds, Salenbien found a wide-open Verburgt, whose jumper hit the bottom of the net as the Worthen Arena crowd erupted, sealing a thrilling 87-86 comeback victory.
For the game, Tessa Towers led the Cardinals' charge with 19 points and nine rebounds while Kingery finished the contest with 17 points followed by Salenbien, who ended the game with 14.
The Ball State women's basketball team returns to Mid-American Conference action when the Cardinals play at Eastern Michigan Tuesday for a 6:30 pm ET contest at the Gervin GameAbove Center.
