The first regular season sell-out crowd in Toledo women’s basketball history witnessed the Rockets defeat Michigan for the second straight season, a 69-46 triumph at Savage Arena on Wednesday.
A raucous 7,082 fans, a regular-season record, packed the stands for the game in just the third sellout in program history. The other two sellouts were the semifinal (7,020) and championship (7,301) contests during UT’s 2011 WNIT title run.
Quinesha Lockett led all players with 20 points, her fourth consecutive 20-point game.
Toledo (4-2) dominated Michigan (7-2) from the get-go.
The Wolverines, who were ranked No. 25 in the most recent coaches poll, got the first basket of the game before Quinesha Lockett’s three-pointer put UT ahead 3-2 in the very early going. Toledo controlled the game nearly the entire night, leading for almost 38 minutes of game time, and holding a double-digit lead for much of that time. The Rockets won the second quarter by a whopping 23-7 margin to take a 19-point lead into halftime and continued to pile it on from there. Their lead stretched into the 20s in the second half and peaked at 26 before settling at 23, 69-46.
The margin of victory is tied for Toledo’s largest over Michigan in 21 games all-time, matching the 90-67 win on Dec. 1, 1992. That victory also was the last time the Rockets won back-to-back games against the Wolverines.
“I was really proud of our players tonight,” Head Coach Tricia Cullop said. “Michigan is a very good team. I was concerned about their size and depth, and I thought we would have to stay out of foul trouble and, for the most part, we did. To take care of the basketball as well as we did and to shoot the ball as well as we did really took a lot of pressure off of everything else. We also forced a lot of turnovers, which made a big difference. I thought our defense really came through tonight.”
The electric environment at Wednesday’s game was certainly not lost on Cullop, who coached the Rockets to the 2011 WNIT Championship the last time the team sold out Savage Arena.
A raucous 7,082 fans, a regular-season record, packed the stands at Savage Arena for Wednesday night’s game in just the third sellout in Toledo women’s basketball history.
“What an amazing feeling,” she said. “I haven’t seen that kind of electricity in this building since we won the WNIT. It was awesome to feel it again, and I hope it’s not the last time we feel it this year. Games like this are so good — not only for us, not only for our conference but for the game. Women’s basketball needs more of this — great matchups in great environments.”
Quinesha Lockett led all players with 20 points, her fourth consecutive 20-point game. Sophia Wiard had a terrific game, scoring 14 points while adding six rebounds and five assists. Sammi Mikonowicz added 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds, and Emmi Rinat connected on 3-of-5 three-pointers to contribute nine points off the bench. Hannah Noveroske made her presence known in the paint, blocking three shots and grabbing five rebounds.
The Rockets shot 46.2% from the field (24-for-52) and forced a season-best 19 turnovers. Those miscues proved to be vital to Toledo’s success on Wednesday, as it scored 25 points off Michigan turnovers.
Laile Phelia was the lone Wolverine to score in double figures, leading her team with 16 points. Michigan shot 34.6% from the floor, making just 18-of-52 shots.
Toledo returns home on Sunday to host Loyola (Md.) at 2 p.m. To purchase women’s basketball tickets, visit the Rocket Athletic Ticket Office at the Sullivan Athletic Complex in Savage Arena, contact the Rocket Athletic Ticket Office at 419.530.GOLD (4653), or go online to UTRockets.com/tix.
