University of Toledo
EASTERN MICHIGAN
Toledo Falls at Eastern Michigan, 76-61
2/11/2004 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
YPSILANTI, MI - The University of Toledo lost its third-straight contest Wednesday night, 76-61, at Eastern Michigan in Mid-American Conference action in the Convocation Center.
"We weren't ready to compete and that is why we lost," Toledo Head Coach Mark Ehlen said. "This team has to be ready to compete, because that is the bottom line. It is sickening the way we played, especially in the first half. We played tonight with very little heart."
Sophomore Leah Gonnella led the Rockets with a career-high 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. The only other Rocket in double figures was junior Karin Hoogendam, who finished with 13 points and two blocked shots.
The Rockets shot 30.8 percent from the floor (20-of-65), including 33.3 percent (8-of-24) from three-point range. UT lost the battle of the boards, 47-32, and committed 18 turnovers.
Sarah VanMetre led five EMU players with a game-high 21 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Canea Williams and Nikki Knapp tallied 13 points and Melis Ulker and Marion Crandall added 10 points apiece.
The Eagles finished the contest shooting 49.1 percent (28-of-57) from the field. EMU dominated the play in the lane, outscoring the Rockets, 48-12.
After spotting Toledo the game's first basket, Eastern Michigan took control of the contest scoring the next seven points and never again trailed.
Behind 13-7 with 14:34 left in the first half, Gonnella would score the next three points and to cut the lead to three with 13:54 remaining.
Over the next five minutes, the EMU lead would balloon to 10 points, 27-17, with 9:18 left.
EMU would continue to pour it on and took a 42-25 advantage into the locker room. The Eagles built the 17-point lead on the strength of 52.9 percent (18-of-34) shooting from the floor, while holding the Rockets to a 25.0 percent (8-of-32) clip. UT also committed 14 turnovers in the first 20 minutes. Toledo entered tonight's game averaging a MAC-low 14.4 turnovers per game in conference games.
In the second half, a three-pointer by senior Kelly Walker cut the lead to 50-39 with 14:50 remaining and forced EMU into a timeout.
EMU quickly responded and built its largest lead of the contest, 64-44, with 10:11 remaining in regulation, only to have UT make final push and again cut the lead to 11 points, 71-60, with 6:07 left.
Unfortunately though the Rockets would score only a single point in the last six-plus minutes to drop its third-consecutive league game for the first time since the 1999-2000 campaign.
"Our main problem is we don't know who is going to show up with each game," Ehlen said. "The thing that disappoints me the most with this game is we didn't play any defense. That was pretty obvious. They got any shot they wanted, while we sat on our heels.
"We played tonight like we were afraid. We were afraid to make mistakes and afraid to shoot the ball. They just walked all over us."
Toledo returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 14 hosting Eastern Michigan. Game time is set for 4:30 p.m. in Savage Hall in the first game of a doubleheader. The Rocket men will take on Eastern Michigan at 7:00 p.m.
