MOUNT PLEASANT, MI - The Toledo women's basketball team received a major wake-up call at halftime of its game at Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant on Wednesday. Fortunately, the Rockets answered the bell exploding for 52 second-half points en route to an 83-57 win before 851 fans in Rose Arena.
With the win, the Rockets improve to 12-5 overall (5-1 MAC), while Central Michigan falls to 3-15 (0-7 MAC).
"We came out in the first half not ready to play," Toledo Head Coach Mark Ehlen said, whose team led by a single point at the break. "We seemed to be a step behind on everything. In the second half, we put things together and really started to click at both ends of the floor. On offense, we got some good looks and knocked down some shots. On the defensive side of the ball, we made some nice stops which led to transition points that we executed very nicely. It was definitely a game of two separate halves."
Coming out of the halftime break, Toledo went on a 17-2 run to jump to a 48-35 lead with 15:21 to play in the game. A 17-0 Rocket run late in the game put the contest out of reach.
The Rockets shot a blistering 58 percent (21-of-36) in the second half while holding CMU to 35 percent (10-of-29).
Toledo, which has a three-game winning streak for the first time this season, shot 0-of-5 from beyond the arc in the first half, but connected on 7-of-11 from downtown in the second stanza. UT has now drained at least one three-pointer in 156 straight games, dating back to Jan. 24, 1996. While the Rockets' current streak trails Western Michigan's 166 consecutive games, Toledo has hit a three-pointer in 357 of its last 358 games.
All 10 Toledo players saw action with nine getting their names in the scoring column. Senior Kahli Carter led the offensive onslaught, scoring 21 points and grabbing a game-high eight rebounds. The 6-0 power forward tallied 15 points afer the intermission, including back-to-back threes that put the game out of reach midway through the second half.
Junior center Melantha Herron continued her solid play in the middle, pouring in 14 points, coraling six rebounds and swatting a career-high three blocks. Kelly Walker was the other Rocket in double figures, as the freshman from Sterling Heights, MI lit up the scorebaord for a career-high 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting.
"Kelly gave us a big lift tonight," Ehlen said. "She really stepped her game when Central gave her some open looks at the hoop. Last game, Lisa (Miller) stepped it up. Tonight, it was Kelly who took that role. I think she really grew up tonight."
For the fourth time this season, the Rockets shot over 50 percent from the field, finishing at 53.8 percent (35-of-65) from the field. UT also dominated the battle inside, outrebounding CMU 40-31. The Rockets also dished out 20 assists and committed a season-low 13 turnovers.
The Rockets were dealt a scary blow midway through the second half, when 6-4 junior center Kenosha Chastang went down hard in the lane. She suffered a right ankle sprain and did not return. Her status is day-to-day, according to Team Physician Dr. Fred Workman.
Toledo was also without the services of sophomore super-sub Teresa Kahle, who did not make the trip due to a lingering illness.
CMU's Beth Kimbel, who returned to the lineup after sitting out the last game against Ohio with a concussion, was the game's leading scorer with 22 points, 15 of those coming in the first half.
The Rockets will return to action on Saturday, Jan 27 when they host MAC West Division rival Western Michigan. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Savage Hall.
