TOLEDO, OH – Toledo claimed an impressive 82-51 victory over Findlay in Saturday's exhibition game in Savage Arena.
The Rockets shot an impressive 48.3 percent (29-of-60) from the field, including 28.6 percent (4-of-14) from three-point range, and 64.5 percent (20-of-31) from the charity stripe to coast to the 31-point triumph against the Division II foe Oilers.
The Midnight Blue & Gold spread the wealth around and put four players in double figures, led by senior
Brenae Harris with a game-high 18 points. Freshman Haylee Printz added 13 points, followed by freshman
Kaayla McIntyre and senior
Ana Capotosto with 12 points each.
The home team also received eight points from junior
Janice Monakana and six each from sophomores
Michaela Rasmussen and
Jada Woody. In total, every Rocket that played scored at least three points. Sophomore
Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott, sophomore
Nancy Kessler, redshirt freshman
Lindsay Dorr and freshman
Sarah St-Fort did not play against the Oilers due to an injury or ailment.
One of the key factor in today's exhibition match-up was UT's play on the inside. The Rockets held a commanding 44-16 edge in points in the paint and a 41-31 advantage on the glass. Toledo also totaled 16 offensive boards and finished with a sizable 24-3 advantage in second-chance points.
The Midnight Blue & Gold also did a good job of protecting the basketball and committed only seven turnovers, while forcing the Oilers into committing 17 miscues. Toledo took full advantage of UF's mistakes and translated them into 21 points.
The Rockets broke open a close game with a 10-3 run over the course of the first two quarters to assume a 23-17 lead at the 8:25 mark. Four different players tallied points in the game-changing run to give the home team a two-possession lead. It was a lead Toledo would not relinquish.
Following a Findlay field goal, UT registered back-to-back layups from junior
Sophie Reecher and Harris to extend the margin to 27-19 with 5:09 remaining in the opening half.
Toledo's lead did not slip below six points for the remainder of the period, as the home team assumed a 34-26 advantage at intermission. Harris and Monakana paced UT with eight points each in the opening 20 minutes.
UT's Capotosto started out red-hot shooting the basketball to begin the third quarter and knocked down back-to-back shots to make the score 41-32, forcing Findlay into a timeout at the 7:29 mark. The two-time team captain converted a triple and a layup to prompt the visitors to call their third timeout.
Harris and McIntyre then fed off Capotosto's momentum and scored 11 of UT's next 13 points to build a 19-point bulge, 58-39, at the end of the third period. The duo did all their damage on the interior, as all five field goals came in the paint.
The Rockets shot a blistering 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from the floor in the third quarter and outscored UF 24-13 in the period to put the game out of reach.
The closest Findlay would get in the fourth quarter was 21 points, as Toledo emptied its bench and cruised to the 31-point victory.
Dana Fricke paced the Oilers with nine points off the bench, while Karli Bonar had eight.
The visitors were limited to 34.5 percent (19-of-55) from the field, including 36.4 percent (8-of-22) from three-point range, and 41.7 percent (5-of-12) from the charity stripe.
The Rockets will open their regular one week from today on Saturday, Nov. 14 against Pac-12 member Arizona. The opening tip versus the Wildcats is slated for Noon at home.