TOLEDO, OH - Toledo remained unbeaten in Mid-American Conference play with a 42-31 victory over Northern Illinois on Wednesday in Savage Arena. With the triumph, the Rockets' run their win streak to a season-high four consecutive contests and improve to 11-5 overall, 3-0 in the league.
Junior Naama Shafir paced the victors with a game-high 12 points, while sophomore Lecretia Smith added eight points with a team-best nine rebounds in the hard-fought 11-point home win.
The Rockets' total of 42 points was the fewest ever in a victory. The 2009-10 MAC West Division champs shot just 29.6 percent (16-of-54) from the field and were out-rebounded, 49-36, but pulled out the double-digit triumph thanks to some stifling defense. Toledo held the Huskies (6-10, 0-3 MAC) to 23.5 percent (12-of-51) from the floor and forced 20 turnovers, which it translated into 15 points. NIU's total of 31 points was the fifth-fewest allowed in UT annals and marked the third time this season Toledo held an opponent under 40 points.
Toledo did shot the ball well at the outset and held a 17-6 cushion at the 10:44 mark. The home team knocked down seven of their first 13 shots from the floor to take the early double-digit advantage. Shafir sparked the quick start with eight points.
Toledo continued to hold a comfortable lead, closing the opening stanza with a mini 8-3 run to stretch its advantage to 25-9 at the intermission. The Midnight Blue & Gold cooled down significantly shooting the basketball following their strong start, but tenacious defensive pressure helped them to a 16-point bulge at the break. NIU's Marke Freeman was the only player to score for the visitors in the opening 20 minutes. The Rockets' nine points surrendered was the second-fewest allowed in a single half in school history, surpassed only by eight points from Saint Peter's earlier this season on Nov. 30.
NIU seemed to settle down a little to start the second stanza and opened with a 10-4 burst to close the margin to 29-19 with 14:07 left in regulation. Ebony Ellis scored five of the 10 points in the run to keep the visitors within striking distance.
Toledo senior Jessica Williams stalled the run for a bit with a deep triple, but the Huskies scored five of the next seven tallies to bring them within nine points, 33-24, at 6:45.
The Rockets needed another spark to put the game away and they turned to Smith, who scored consecutive baskets to re-establish a comfortable 39-24 edge with 3:39 remaining in regulation. The closest the Huskies would get the rest of the contest was 11 points in the waning seconds.
NIU was led by Freeman with those nine first-half points, a game-high 11 rebounds and four steals. Their next highest scorers were Danielle Pulliam and Ellis with seven points each.
Toledo will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 15 when they travel to Ypsilanti, MI to battle Eastern Michigan. The Rockets lead the series, 41-22, splitting two contests last season. The Midnight Blue & Gold claimed a 72-63 victory at home (Jan. 13), before dropping an 89-84 overtime decision in the Convocation Center (March 2), snapping its three-game win streak in the series. UT also holds a 17-10 edge in contests played on EMU's home floor.
