Women’s basketball team to battle Eastern Michigan in second round of MAC Tournament in Cleveland

March 10, 2015 | Athletics, Events
By Brian DeBenedictis



No. 7 seed Toledo (18-12) will meet No. 6 seed Eastern Michigan (19-11) in the second round of the 2015 Mid-American Conference Tournament Wednesday, March 11, in Quicken Loans Arena.

The opening tip is slated for approximately 2:30 p.m.

Senior Inma Zanoguera and the Rockets will battle Eastern Michigan Wednesday, March 11, at approximately 2:30 p.m. in the second round of the MAC Tournament in Cleveland.

Senior Inma Zanoguera and the Rockets will battle Eastern Michigan Wednesday, March 11, at approximately 2:30 p.m. in the second round of the MAC Tournament in Cleveland.

UT and EMU have battled on five occasions in the MAC Tournament, with Toledo holding a 1-4 ledger (.200) in the postseason. The division rivals most recently met in the semifinals of the 2012 tourney in Cleveland, with the Rockets losing a close one, 59-57.



Toledo and Eastern Michigan also will square off for the third time this season and the 76th time overall. The Rockets and Eagles split two match-ups during the regular season with the away team emerging victorious both times. UT suffered a 75-61 setback in Savage Arena Jan. 24, before claiming an 81-72 come-from-behind victory in the Convocation Center Feb. 21.

Toledo, which is 8-8 away from home this season, advanced to the second round of the post-season tourney with a 62-47 victory against No. 10 seed Miami at home Monday night.

2014-15 MAC Freshman of the Year Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott led the way with a game-high 17 points, followed by sophomore Sophie Reecher, who finished with 12 points with 13 rebounds to post her fourth double-double of the year.

The Rockets out-rebounded the RedHawks 50-32 and held their cross-division foe to 31.6 percent (18 of 57) from the floor, including 1 of 14 from three-point range, to secure their ninth straight victory in the series.

Junior Ana Capotosto and 2014-15 first-team all-league senior Inma Zanoguera helped UT dominate the glass, pulling down 10 boards each.

The quintet of Zanoguera (15.8 points per game), honorable mention all-conference junior Brenae Harris (9.8 points per game), Bravo-Harriott (9.5 points per game) and sophomore Janice Monakana (9.0 points per game) continue to lead the Rockets offensively, all scoring at least nine points per game.

Toledo will take on a red-hot Eastern Michigan squad that is riding a season-high five-game winning streak following a 70-52 home triumph against No. 11 seed Kent State Monday. Second-team All-MAC selection Cha Sweeney paced three Eagles in double figures with a game-high 21 points.

EMU is led by the trio of Sweeney, Janay Morton and Jamaica Bucknor’s 15.9, 12.2 and 10.0 points per game, respectively. Sweeney also contributes a team-high 3.6 assists per game and a squad-tying best 2.1 steals per game with Morton. The Eagles are 8-7 away from home.

The last team to defeat Eastern Michigan was Toledo almost three weeks ago in Ypsilanti. The Rockets ended the game on a 30-9 run over the final eight-plus minutes to claim the nine-point road victory. UT trailed 63-51 at the 8:20 mark in the second half before outscoring EMU by 21 points for the remainder of the division showdown to post the come-from-behind triumph.

The winner of Wednesday’s matinee will meet No. 3 seed and defending MAC Tournament Champion Akron (22-7) in the third round Thursday, March 12, at approximately 2:30 p.m. in Quicken Loans Arena.

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