Rockets Shoot Down Cardinals, 69-65, in MAC Tournament Semifinals

Friday, March 13

Cleveland, Ohio

12:30 p.m.

University of Toledo

17-14,9-9MAC

Ball State

26-7,16-2MAC

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Toledo	10	20	22	17	69
Ball St.	19	10	20	16	65

Patricia Anumgba scored a career-high 29 points to lead Toledo to a 69-65 victory over Ball State in MAC semifinal action on Friday.

Photo by: Nathan Snook

Rockets Shoot Down Cardinals, 69-65, in MAC Tournament Semifinals

3/13/2026 3:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Patricia Anumgba scores career-high 29 points to send Toledo to MAC Championship Game

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Graduate student Patricia Anumgba scored a career-high 29 points to lead the Toledo women's basketball team to a 69-65 victory over No. 2 seed Ball State in MAC Tournament semifinal action at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on Friday.

No. 6 seed Toledo will play No. 1 seed Miami in the MAC Championship Game Saturday at 11:00 a.m. (CBS Sports Network). It will be the second consecutive appearance in the championship game for the Rockets and second-year Head Coach Ginny Boggess.

Toledo (17-14) avenged a pair of losses to Ball State (26-7) in the regular season, as well as a 65-58 loss to the Cardinals in last year's MAC title game.

The Rockets trailed by as many 11 points in the first quarter before rallying to take a 30-29 lead behind Anumgba's 17 first-half points. Ball State tied the game in the fourth quarter and only trailed by two with under a minute to play, but Anumgba and junior Kendall Carruthers each made a pair of free throws in the final seconds to seal the win.

Joining Anumgba in double figures were Ella Weaver (14 points) and Carruthers (12). Toledo out-rebounded the much taller Cardinal squad, 40-37, and forced 15 BSU turnovers.

Quoting Head Coach Ginny Boggess
"What a game. Wednesday (win vs. UMass), we came out and hit first. I thought today Ball State was the tougher team for the first four or six minutes. (Bree) Salenbien is ripping threes, Caitlin Clark style. I said, 'Oh no, it's going to be one of those days.' So we gathered ourselves and took a deep breath. Pat (Anumgba) was refusing to lose at the end of the second quarter and we came in with a lead (at halftime). It was a dogfight, old school. We talked about Pat Summit before the game -- rebounding will win a championship. I can't believe we out-rebounded them. It was a group effort by committee. I think that was probably the difference today."

Rocket Leaders

Patricia Anumgba – 29 points, 11-for-22 FG, 3-of-6 3-PT FG, 4-of-4 FT, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists
Ella Weaver – 14 points, 6-of-6 FT, 2-of-3 3-PT FG
Kendall Carruthers – 12 points, 5 assists, 4 steals

How It Happened

Ball State jumped out to an early 17-6 edge and led 19-10 at the end of the first quarter.
Patricia Anumgba hit three consecutive three-pointers in an 11-0 Toledo run to end the second quarter that gave the Rockets a 30-29 halftime lead. Anumgba led all scorers with 17 first-half points.
Anumgba and Ella Weaver scored four points each in a 9-0 Rocket run to start the third quarter, putting Toledo up, 42-35.
Ball State tied the game, 53-53, early in the fourth quarter, but the Rockets surged ahead 61-55 on a three-pointer by Weaver at the 6:09 mark.
The Cardinals trimmed the margin to two, 65-63, but Anumgba and Kendall Carruthers each made a pair of free throws in the final seconds to seal the win.

Game Notes

Toledo will be playing for its 10^th MAC Championship Tournament title. Its last tourney title came in 2023. Toledo will make its 17th all-time appearance in the MAC Tournament title game.
In addition to her career-high 29 points, Patricia Anumgba also set a career high with 11 field goals made. She had the second-most rebounds of her career with nine, only behind Wednesday's 12-rebound effort.
Anumgba scored at least 20 points for the eighth time this season, all coming since Jan. 14
Ella Weaver scored in double figures and knocked down multiple threes (2-for-3) for the sixth time this season.
Kendall Carruthers (12 points) reached double figures for the 20th time this season.
In out-rebounding Ball State, 40-37, Toledo out-rebounded its opponent for the 23rd time in 31 games this season.

Up Next
The Rockets will play in the MAC Championship Game against No. 1 seed Miami on Saturday, March 14 at 11:00 a.m. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network and also will be carried on the Rocket Radio Network.