Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
University of Toledo
Cardinals Eye 25th Win in Regular Season Finale at Rival Toledo
March 06, 2026 | Women's Basketball
| Ball State at Toledo | #MACtion | |
| Game 31 at Toledo | Saturday, March 7, 2026 | Toledo, Ohio | Savage Arena |
| Gameday Info | Live Stats | ESPN+ | WERK |
| Game Notes and Media Info | Ball State | Toledo |
| Social Media | X (Twitter) | Instagram | Facebook |
It's #MACtion Time:
-Ball State enters the regular season finale in second place in the Mid-American Conference, trailing Miami (OH) by just 0.5 games. A win could secure a share of the MAC regular-season title depending on other results.
- This is a rematch of the 2025 MAC Championship game, where Ball State defeated Toledo 65-58 to earn an NCAA Tournament berth. The Cardinals also won the first meeting this season, 72-68, on January 7.
- The Rockets are playing for their 500th MAC victory in program history during this Senior Day matchup.
- The Toledo Rockets lead the all-time women's basketball series against the Ball State Cardinals with a record of 63–35 as of March 2026. Ball State has won two consecutive games against the Rockets.
- Ball State and Toledo first met on Jan. 12, 1981 with Toledo winning that contest, 63-47. The Cardinals' largest margin of victory versus the Rockets was 75-40 on Jan. 12, 1985.
- The Toledo Rockets have locked their position in the upcoming MAC Tournament as the No. 6 seed.
- As of March 6, 2026, the Ball State Cardinals are locked into the No. 2 seed for the upcoming MAC Tournament in Cleveland next week. If the tournament were to start today the Cardinals would face No. 7 Bowling Green.
- A Cardinal win and a RedHawk loss would make Ball State back-to-back regular season champions for the first time in program history.
MAC Tournament Facts:
The Cardinals continue to be a staple of March Madness in the MAC, securing their 36th program appearance in the conference tournament. Ball State's dominance is especially clear over the last quarter-century, having advanced to Cleveland for 24 of the past 26 seasons. With an all-time tournament record of 27–33, the team has fought their way to seven championship games, ultimately crowning their efforts with titles in 2009 and 2025. Under head coach Brady Sallee, the Ball State women's basketball team has made it to Cleveland for the MAC Tournament 11 times, including reaching the championship game in 2014, 2022, and 2025. The 2025 championship was a historic milestone, marking Sallee's first conference tournament title in 21 years of head coaching and the program's first since 2009.
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.
Road Warriors:
Under head coach Brady Sallee the Cardinals have played well on the road for the last 14 years under his watch. The Cardinals are 122-78 (.609) from 2012 until present on the road. Ball State's best season playing away from home was in 2020-21 when the Cardinals posted an 11-2 mark. Ball State is 12-4 this season on the road including neutral site games.
Scouting Toledo:
- The Toledo Rockets women's basketball team is in its second season under head coach Ginny Boggess. The program is currently undergoing a transitional phase, integrating seven newcomers into a roster that aims to maintain its status as a Mid-American Conference (MAC) contender.
- Kendall Carruthers (Jr., G, #4) is the primary engine of the offense. She leads the team in scoring (11.7 PPG) and assists (2.8 APG) while acting as a three-level scoring threat.
- The Rockets roster is currently facing a significant injury crisis as they enter the final stretch of the 2025–26 season. Boggess recently noted that the team is experiencing unprecedented adversity, at one point playing without three regular starters.
- A win would give Toledo an 11-4 record at Savage Arena on the season and a 7-2 home mark in MAC games.
- Toledo is 33rd in Division I in attendance, averaging 4,020 fans per home game. UT has totaled five crowds above 4,000 fans this season.
It's Almost MAC Tourney Time:
- Ball State head coach Brady Sallee owns a 11-11 overall Mid-American Conference Tournament mark.
- In the 35 years of the tournament, the top seed has won the title 23 times. In 2016, the Buffalo Bulls became the lowest seed (#8) to ever advance to the tournament championship game and the highest seed to ever win the title. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds have met 17 times in the championship game, with the top seed winning 15 times.
- The last time Ball State was the No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament was in 2024. That year the Cardinals defeated the seventh-seeded Ohio Bobcats by a score of 77-53 before falling to No. 3 Kent State in the semifinals, 65-50.
