Box Score
TOLEDO, OH - The Toledo women's basketball team (19-5, 12-1 MAC) clinched at least a share of the Mid-American Conference West Division title on Saturday with a 74-53 victory over Central Michigan (3-21, 0-13 MAC) before a season-high 3,241 fans in Savage Hall.
"We're three wins away from having the championship all to ourselves," Toledo Head Coach Mark Ehlen said. "We're close, but we don't talk about that with the team. We just want to play well right now. If you focus on the external that's when you normally get knocked off."
UT also ran its winning streak to 10 games, the longest since it won 12 in a row during the 1998-99 season. That season, the Rockets finished 25-6 and were No. 25 in the final regular season Associated Press Poll. This past Monday, Toledo received 12 votes in the poll and were ranked unofficially No. 35 in the nation.
With the combination of tonight's victory and a Ball State home loss to Eastern Michigan (88-66) earlier today, the Rockets secured their second West Division title in the last three years since the MAC went to separate divisions at the start of the 1998-99 season. UT was picked preseason No. 4 in the West Division by the league coaches to finish behind Western Michigan, Ball State and Eastern Michigan. With one game remaining against EMU on Feb. 24 in Ypsilanti, the Rockets are a perfect 5-0 against those schools who were picked ahead of them.
Kahli Carter, who is shooting 65 percent from the field during the winning streak, led the offensive onslaught against the Chippewas with a career-high 33 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. The senior from Columbus, OH also ripped down a career-best 19 rebounds. The double-double is her eighth this season and 10th in her career.
"We needed every one of those points and every one of those rebounds tonight," Ehlen said. "We were struggling in running our offense. She stepped up and did something she's capable of doing. Thirty-three points and 19 boards is a pretty good day's work."
Sophomore Tia Davis and junior Courtney Risinger each added 11 points for the Rockets.
Junior Melantha Herron, who was averaging 14.1 points in the last 11 games, was held to three points, her second-lowest point total of the season. She scored two points at Miami in her MAC debut on Jan. 6.
Toledo finished the contest under 50 percent for just the third time in the last 10 games, as they shot 46.4 (26-of-56) from the field. The Rockets did continue their dominance on the boards, as they won the rebounding battle, 54-35. UT has outrebounded its opponent in 19 of 24 games.
"I don't think we were hitting on all cylinders tonight," Ehlen said. "We're just being little tenative with the basketball. We're in a little bit of a funk. I think we can play better."
Desiree Eidson, a graduate of Toledo Central Catholic, paced the Chippewas, who have lost their last 16 MAC games, with 16 points. Vershaun Jones chipped in with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
Central Michigan was held to a season-low 29.9 percent (20-of-67) from the field, including 12.5 percent (2-of-16) from three-point range. They also dished out a season-low seven assists.
Toledo is now one win away from 20 for the season. The Rockets have reached the 20-win plateau in 10 of the last 12 years, falling short in 1992-93 (18-10) and 1999-2000 (14-15).
The Rockets will return to action on Wednesday, Feb 21 when they travel to Akron to battle the Zips. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the JAR Arena.
