University of Toledo
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WESTERN MICHIGAN
Toledo Sustains Setback at Western Michigan, 62-61
2/28/2004 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KALAMAZOO, MI - The University of Toledo women's basketball team let a seven-point second-half lead slip away today en route to suffering a heartbreaking 62-61 loss to Western Michigan in Mid-American Conference action at University Arena.
With the setback, the Rockets fall to 12-14 overall and 8-7 in the MAC. Today's one-point affair marked the ninth time this season UT has been involved in a contest decided by five or fewer points. Unfortunately, Toledo is 2-7 in such games.
"We've played almost 10 games this season that have been decided by five or fewer points and we haven't won too many of them, which is very frustrating," Toledo Head Coach Mark Ehlen said. "The fact is we had a lead and let it get away from us. Good teams win close games and we obviously haven't won too many of them."
Trailing 32-28 at the intermission, Toledo opened the second half with a 9-0 run to take a 37-32 lead with 18:04 remaining.
WMU fought back and a turnaround jumper by Lori Crisman tied the score for the sixth time in the contest at 43-43 with 11:04 left.
Back came the Rockets, though, as senior Julie Hillis converted an offensive putback to increase UT's lead to 50-45 with 8:29 remaining.
The Rockets would continue to apply pressure and built a seven-point lead, 55-48, with 6:01 remaining after a three-pointer at the top of the key by senior Mary Blessing.
The Broncos then turned to reserve Nicole Watkins to supply a spark off the bench, scoring eight crucial points over the next three minutes to tie the game at 58-58 with 2:58 remaining.
WMU captured its first lead of the second half, 60-58, following a basket from Shaylen Jackson with 2:11 left.
Blessing would counter for the Rockets, draining her third triple of the second half, giving the lead back to the Rockets, 61-60, with 1:33 showing on the clock.
The score would remain the same until WMU freshman Carrie Moore was fouled with 26.1 seconds remaining. Moore knocked down a pair of free throws to put the Broncos ahead by a point.
On Toledo's ensuing possession, senior Kelly Walker was called for traveling, giving the ball back to the Broncos with 15.9 seconds left.
The Rockets immediately fouled Moore, sending her back to the free throw line. She missed the front end of the one-and-one giving UT one last shot.
Blessing advanced the ball into the forecourt and passed to Walker on the wing. Walker, who struggled from the floor finishing 2-of-15, launched a shot that hit the front of the rim but bounced right to freshman Danielle Bishop at the top of the key. With one last attempt, Bishop put up a shot which bounced off the back of the iron as the final buzzer sounded.
Bishop led the Rockets with 19 points, nine rebounds and a career-high six steals. Other UT players in double figures included Blessing (13 pts. 5 ast., 3 stl.) and Hillis (10 pts.).
"These last few games, I thought Danielle has played the type of basketball she is capable of playing," Ehlen said. "She went out there today and just played basketball. She didn't hesitate or try to think too much."
The Rockets finished the contest shooting 35.1 percent (26-of-74) from the floor, including 36.8 percent (7-of-19) from the charity stripe. UT attempted 22 more attempts from the field than WM, but was limited to just eight free throw attempts, knocking down only two. The Rockets did a nice job taking care of the ball, finishing with 14 assists, while committing nine turnovers.
A key factor in today's loss was the ineffectiveness of the Rockets' reserves. The UT backups finished 3-of-15 from the field and 0-2 from the free throw line.
"Our bench didn't come through for us and you can't go 2-of-8 from the free throw line in a close game and expect to win," Ehlen said.
Crisman led Western Michigan with a game-high 20 points, knocking down 10-of-11 attempts from the charty stripe. Moore was the only other Broncos player in double digits, as she finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Toledo returns to action on Tuesday, March 1 when it makes a short trip down I-75 to battle arch-rival Bowling Green in its regular-season finale. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m. in Anderson Arena.
