Friday, March 14th, 2025 — MAC Women’s Basketball Tournament Semifinals
Game 5: No. 1 Ball State (25-7, 16-2 MAC) vs. No. 4 Kent State (21-11, 12-6 MAC), 10 AM ET (ESPN+)
Dave Bacon (PxP), Jacki Windon (Analyst) | LIVE on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 6: No. 2 Toledo (23-7, 13-5 MAC) vs. No. 3 Buffalo (25-6, 13-5 MAC), Time TBA (ESPN+)*
Dave Bacon (PxP), Jacki Windon (Analyst) | LIVE on ESPN+ | Live Stats
Ball State Cardinals
With the win against Buffalo on March 5, the Cardinals claimed sole possession of the Mid-American Conference regular season title for the first time in 22 years. The last time the Cardinals earned the title was in 2002-03. Ball State will enter next week's MAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed in Cleveland for the first time since 2009 when Ball State won the tournament.
This marks the 35th appearance in the Mid-American Conference Tournament in program history. Ball State has advanced to Cleveland 23 out of the past 25 seasons. The Cardinals are 24-33 all-time in MAC Tournament play and have advanced to the MAC Tournament finals on six occasions. Ball State defeated Bowling Green in 2009 in the MAC Tournament Championship game. This is the 10th time in current head coach Brady Sallee's tenure the Cardinals have punched their ticket straight to the MAC Tournament in Cleveland.
Ball State head coach Brady Sallee owns a 8-11 overall Mid-American Conference Tournament mark. The last time the Cardinals reached the final game was in 2022 when Ball State fell to Buffalo by a score of 79-74.
Ball State has been the No. 1 seed in the tournament only four times; 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2025.
Ball State owns a 10-2 record in the 2025 MAC Tournament bracket. The two losses for the Cardinals game against second-seeded Toledo and fourth-seeded Kent State.
Kent State Golden Flashes
For the second year in a row, Kent State is matched up against Ball State in the Mid-American Conference Women's Basketball Tournament semifinals. The contest is scheduled to tip at 10 a.m. Friday from Rocket Arena in Cleveland.
The Golden Flashes (21-11) opened the tournament with a 68-61 victory over Miami during a quarterfinal contest on Wednesday. All five starters scored in double-figures, with senior Bridget Dunn and junior Dionna Gray posting double-doubles. Dunn totaled 13 points and 16 rebounds, while Gray had 12 points and career-high 10 rebounds. Sophomore Mya Babbitt drained four three-point field goals and led the way with 19 points.
All-MAC selections Jenna Batsch (first team) and Janae Tyler (honorable mention) were recognized for their outstanding play this season. Batsch (16.9 ppg, 3.8 apg) has recorded 31 consecutive double-digit scoring performances, which is tied for the fourth longest streak in Division I. Tyler (11.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg) has emerged as a consistent inside scoring presence after missing the majority of the non-conference slate, averaging 14.7 points per contest since the start of February. Bridget Dunn (8.3 ppg) ranks fifth in the nation in defensive rebounding (8.5 drpg) and 26th overall in rebounds per game (10.0 rpg). Mya Babbitt (11.8 ppg) leads the MAC with 81 three-pointers and has made 41.5% of attempts from beyond the arc. Dionna Gray averages 8.6 points and 5.0 assists per game.
Kent State is making its 37th appearance in the MAC Tournament and has a 39-31 record in tournament play. The Golden Flashes have advanced to the semifinals 21 times, recording an 13-6 record in those games (2020 game was not played after tournament was canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic).
Kent State has won four MAC Tournament titles: 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2024. The Flashes appeared in the championship game seven straight years from 1996-2002 and has played for the title 13 times overall. During that seven-year stretch, Kent State owned an 18-4 MAC Tournament record.
Toledo Rockets
The Rockets (23-7) will play in the semifinals for the fourth-consecutive season. Buffalo (25-6) will play in its second-consecutive semifinal. Friday will be a rematch of last season's semifinal matchup, where Buffalo held off a late Toledo comeback for a 77-74 OT victory.
Toledo enters the contest winners of 11 of its last 13 games. Toledo defeated No. 7 seed Central Michigan, 76-58 in the quarterfinals, out-scoring the Chippewas 44-16 over the final 17 minutes. Sammi MIkonowicz led with 18 points while Nan Garcia added 16 on 4-of-6 from downtown.
The Bulls advanced to the quarterfinals in a 65-63 nailbiter against No. 6 seed Bowling Green. Chellia Watson scored 27 points on 11-of-22 shooting and made the game-winning basket with 10 seconds to play.
Toledo won both regular-season contests by three points, with a 58-55 victory at UB on Feb. 5 and a 71-68 home victory on Feb. 26. Toledo leads the all-time series, 30-10 and is 5-1 all-time against Buffalo in the MAC Tournament.
Toledo looks to win its 10th MAC Tournament title and second in three years this week. The Rockets have played the semifinals in each of the last four seasons, and win would advance Toledo to its second tournament final in that span.
UT is a top-two seed for the fourth-consecutive season (No. 1 seed the previous three years).
Toledo's senior class of Jessica Cook, Nan Garcia, Khera Goss, Sammi Mikonowicz and Hannah Noveroske holds a 6-2 record in MAC Tournament games.
Toledo is 5-1 all-time in MAC Tournament games against Buffalo.
Buffalo Bulls
The University at Buffalo women's basketball team (25-6, 13-5 MAC) will face #2 seed Toledo in the MAC Tournament semifinals on Friday afternoon. This is the seventh time the two programs will face off in the MAC Tournament, with the last meeting coming on March 15, 2024, when the Bulls defeated the Rockets 77-74 in overtime in the semifinals.
This is the 41st overall meeting between Buffalo and Toledo with the Rockets owning a 30-10 series advantage. The Bulls dropped a pair of close contests to the Rockets this season by a combined six points.
Buffalo finished the regular season with a 24-6 overall record and 13-5 league mark. The conference announced its postseason awards on Tuesday morning, with Chellia Watson receiving First-Team All-MAC recognition, Kirsten Lewis-Williams named Second Team All-MAC and Noelani Cornfield named to the All-Defensive Team.
The Bulls are led offensively by Watson who leads the MAC and ranks in the top 20 nationally in total points (637), points per game (20.5), field goals made (244) and attempted (543). Lewis-Williams is averaging 13.7 points per game while leading the team in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and Cornfield is also averaging in double figures at 10.7 ppg, while leading the team and ranking 18th nationally in assists per game (5.7).
As a team, the Bulls lead the league in scoring offense (74.0), scoring margin (+14.4), field goal percentage (.462), assists (16.5), and turnover margin (+7.2) while also ranking in the top three in scoring defense (59.6), 3FG defense (.284), field goal defense (.383), steals per game (10.5) and free throw percentage (.766).
