MUNCIE, Ind. (Interstat) — In a game that defied pregame projections, the Ball State Cardinals survived a furious second-half rally from Eastern Michigan to secure a 78-74 victory in a Mid-American Conference women’s basketball thriller Saturday at Worthen Arena.

A crowd of 3,503 saw the Cardinals improve to 9-4 overall, while the Eagles fell to 6-5. The result was a stark contrast to the statistical prediction, which had favored Ball State with a 98.7% probability of winning.

The game’s most critical sequence unfolded in the final 15 seconds with Ball State clinging to a 77-74 lead. Eastern Michigan’s Brooklyn Thrash missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with three seconds remaining. Ball State’s Karsyn Norman secured the defensive rebound and was immediately fouled. Norman missed the first free throw but calmly sank the second to extend the lead to four points, effectively sealing the outcome as time expired.

Ball State established control early, using a 12-2 run in the first quarter to build a lead it would never fully relinquish. The Cardinals led 22-14 after the opening period and maintained a 41-39 advantage at halftime despite Eastern Michigan’s 25-point second quarter.

The third quarter saw Ball State push its lead to double digits, outscoring the Eagles 23-18 to take a 64-57 edge into the final frame. Eastern Michigan’s resilience surfaced in the fourth quarter, as the Eagles chipped away at the deficit. A 3-pointer from Fernanda Ovalle with 2:41 remaining cut the Ball State lead to 75-74, setting the stage for the tense finish.

Grace Kingery, named the top star for Ball State, delivered a clutch performance with 21 points, including two critical free throws with 12 seconds left that pushed the lead to three. She added two rebounds and an assist. She was joined by Tessa Towers, who also scored 21 points and grabbed four rebounds.

Eastern Michigan was led by a dominant performance from Sisi Eleko, who scored 20 points and collected four rebounds. Ovalle was instrumental in the comeback attempt, finishing with 22 points, four rebounds and five assists. Peyton Hill added 15 points and four assists for the Eagles.

Ball State’s offense was facilitated by Norman, who dished out eight assists to go with seven points and four rebounds. Zhen Verburgt provided a key spark off the bench with nine points.

The game was a tale of runs and responses. Each time Eastern Michigan threatened, Ball State found an answer, often from Kingery or Towers in the paint. The Cardinals’ ability to handle the Eagles’ full-court pressure in the final minutes and convert at the free-throw line proved decisive.

Eastern Michigan will look to rebound when it hosts Bowling Green on Dec. 30. Ball State concludes its non-conference schedule at Akron on Dec. 31 before resuming MAC play.