MUNCIE, Ind. (Interstat) — The Ball State Cardinals delivered a commanding performance on their home court Wednesday night, overwhelming the Northern Kentucky Norse 95 to 64 in a non-conference women’s basketball matchup at Worthen Arena.

From the opening tip, Ball State established a dominant tempo, outscoring Northern Kentucky 28 to 13 in the first quarter and never looking back. The Cardinals extended their lead to 51 to 23 by halftime, capitalizing on a relentless offensive attack and a stifling defensive effort that forced the Norse into costly mistakes.

The victory improved Ball State’s record to a perfect 3 wins and 0 losses to start the season, while Northern Kentucky remained winless, falling to 0 wins and 3 losses.

Ball State’s offensive efficiency was the story of the game. The Cardinals shot an impressive 49 percent from the floor, connecting on 34 of 69 attempts. Their prowess from beyond the arc was a key differentiator, as they made 12 of 27 three-point attempts. Northern Kentucky, by contrast, struggled with its shooting, finishing 25 of 62 from the field and a frigid 5 of 24 from three-point range.

The Cardinals also excelled in converting Northern Kentucky’s errors into points, scoring 25 points off 21 Norse turnovers. Ball State committed only 13 turnovers of its own.

Karsyn Norman led the charge for Ball State with a stat-stuffing performance, scoring 18 points while adding seven rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes of action. Bree Salenbien was a force in the paint, pouring in a game-high 20 points and grabbing seven rebounds in just 22 minutes. Giorgia Gorini provided a spark off the bench with 11 points and four assists, and Tessa Towers controlled the interior with 10 points and eight rebounds.

For Northern Kentucky, Mya Meredith from Newport, Kentucky, shouldered the scoring load with 18 points. Kamora Morgan of Oshawa, Canada, contributed seven points and five rebounds, while Abby Wolterman from West Chester, Ohio, added eight points and six rebounds. Mia Jordan, hailing from Gold Coast, Australia, chipped in seven points and six rebounds, but the Norse could not find a consistent rhythm against the swarming Ball State defense.

The game was effectively decided in the first half. Ball State’s early run, fueled by three-pointers and defensive stops, built an insurmountable lead. The Norse showed more fight after halftime, scoring 21 points in the third quarter, but the Cardinals answered every push, maintaining their comfortable advantage throughout the second half.

A crowd of 1,395 at Worthen Arena witnessed the Cardinals’ third consecutive victory to open the season, following previous road wins at IU Indy and Arkansas State. Northern Kentucky, coming off losses at Louisville and Marshall, continues to search for its first win.

Ball State now looks ahead to a road test at Memphis on Saturday. Northern Kentucky will attempt to get into the win column when it travels to face Butler on Sunday.