TOLEDO, OH - Toledo (8-7, 3-1 MAC) will look to continue a strong start in Mid-American Conference play when it hosts Northern Illinois (8-7, 1-3 MAC) on Saturday, Jan. 16. Tip-off time is set for 2:00 p.m. in Savage Arena and can be seen on ESPN3.
UT is currently tied with Ball St. (11-4, 3-1 MAC) and Central Michigan (9-6, 3-1 MAC) for the top spot in the MAC West Division standings.
The Midnight Blue & Gold enters Saturday's division match-up riding a three-game winning streak following Wednesday's 55-50 triumph at Miami.
The Rockets limited the RedHawks to 30.4 percent (17-of-56) from the floor, including 27.3 percent (6-of-22) from three-point land, to claim their 10th straight victory in the series.
Senior
Brenae Harris paced UT with 16 points, followed by senior
Ana Capotosto with 11 and junior
Janice Monakana had eight. Freshman
Kaayla McIntyre also contributed six points and a season-high 11 boards off the bench.
Harris was at her best in the second half against MU, tallying 12 points, two assists and two steals while playing all 20 minutes.
Toledo, which sports a 4-2 record at home this season, is fueled offensively by the quartet of Harris, Capotosto, Monakana and sophomore
Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott, who are averaging 14.0, 11.7, 10.5 and 10.2 ppg, respectively.
UT will battle a Northern Illinois team which has dropped its last three contests. Most recently, the Huskies suffered a 95-63 setback at Central Michigan on Wednesday. Kelly Smith paced NIU with 21 points, followed by Ally Lehman and Mikayla Voigt with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Northern Illinois, which is 4-6 away from home this season, features four players scoring in double figures and is led by Lehman and Smith at 13.2 and 11.2 ppg, respectively.
UT and NIU will square off for the first of two times this year and 48th time overall.
Toledo holds a 29-18 lead in the all-time series, but has split the season series each of the last two years against the Huskies.
A season ago, UT claimed a 73-57 victory in Savage Arena (Feb. 18), before dropping a 68-64 decision in the Convocation Center (March 4).
The Midnight Blue & Gold also maintains an 18-4 (.818) edge in contests played in the Glass City, emerging victorious in the last seven match-ups in Savage Arena.
Following tomorrow's contest, the Rockets will travel to MAC East Division foe Akron (8-7, 2-2 MAC) on Wednesday, Jan. 20. The opening tip versus the Zips is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in James A. Rhodes Arena.
UT and UA will do battle for the only time this year and 51st time overall.
A season ago, the Zips swept the regular-season series, claiming a 102-101 road victory (Jan. 14) and an 82-56 home triumph (Feb. 14).
