An unrelenting crowd and an unrelenting team would not allow Ball State to leave Savage Arena on Wednesday with an unbeaten Mid-American Conference record.
Sammi Mikonowicz scored 23 points, and the Rockets got help from its bench in handing the Cardinals a 70-66 loss.
Ball State (20-6, 12-1) was attempting to become the first undefeated MAC team since Bowling Green in 2005-06.
“What a fun basketball game to be a part of,” Toledo coach Ginny Boggess said. “The crowd was tremendous.”
The game between the MAC’s best team and the MAC’s hottest team lived up to the hype, with nine ties and 11 lead changes.