Ball State Women's Basketball Advances to MAC Tournament Semifinals

Cardinals defeat Bowling Green 75-63 to set up semifinal matchup with Toledo

Mar. 12, 2026 at 2:03am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Ball State Cardinals women's basketball team defeated the Bowling Green Falcons 75-63 in the quarterfinal round of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament. Ball State, the second seed in the tournament, was led by a career-high 25 points from sophomore guard Grace Kingery. The Cardinals will now advance to the semifinal round where they will face the Toledo Rockets.

Why it matters

Ball State's win over Bowling Green keeps their strong season alive as they continue their pursuit of a MAC tournament championship. The Cardinals shared the regular season title and are looking to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with a tournament title. This semifinal matchup against Toledo will be a rematch of two regular season meetings that Ball State won.

The details

Ball State shot an impressive 42% from the field and 50% from three-point range in the win over Bowling Green. Sophomore guard Grace Kingery led the way with 25 points on 52% shooting, including 50% from beyond the arc. The Cardinals also dominated the glass, outrebounding Bowling Green 50-38. Ball State head coach Brady Sallee praised the performance, saying it was a 'heck of a game' against Bowling Green coach Fred Chmiel.

  • The quarterfinal game against Bowling Green was played on March 11 at Rocket Arena.

The players

Grace Kingery

Ball State sophomore guard who scored a career-high 25 points in the win over Bowling Green.

Brady Sallee

Head coach of the Ball State women's basketball team.

Fred Chmiel

Head coach of the Bowling Green women's basketball team.

Tessa Towers

Ball State senior center who had 12 rebounds in the win over Bowling Green.

Kendall Carruthers

Junior guard for the Toledo Rockets, the leading scorer for Toledo averaging 12.2 points per game.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Fred [Chmiel]'s such a pro down on that other sideline. He started trying to exploit some matchups and they made a couple shots on some penetrate and kick situations.”

— Brady Sallee, Head Coach, Ball State Women's Basketball

“It's really about putting that in front of your team and making sure they understand the plan regardless of who you play. But I know whoever it is we play, it's going to be a good one, and that's just what MACtion is.”

— Brady Sallee, Head Coach, Ball State Women's Basketball

What’s next

Ball State will face Toledo in the MAC Tournament semifinals on March 13. The Cardinals defeated Toledo twice during the regular season, winning 72-68 and 78-71.

The takeaway

Ball State's win over Bowling Green showcases their depth and balanced scoring attack, led by the impressive performance of sophomore guard Grace Kingery. As the Cardinals advance to the MAC Tournament semifinals, their familiarity with Toledo from the regular season should give them an advantage as they continue their pursuit of a conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth.