TOLEDO, OH – Toledo put together a solid all-around effort and secured a 66-59 victory over Northern Illinois on Saturday before 4,013 fans in Savage Arena. The triumph extends the Rockets' (9-7, 3-1 MAC) winning streak to four straight games and they have now won the last eight match-ups against the Huskies (8-8, 1-4 MAC) at home, dating back to Jan. 10, 2009.
 
Senior Brenae Harris led the Midnight Blue & Gold in scoring for the third time in the last four contests with 17 points, to go along with eight rebounds and five assists.
 
Senior Ana Capotosto followed Harris with 13 points, while also tallying eight boards and five helpers. Junior Sophie Reecher recorded all of her 10 points in the second half to help solidify UT's fifth-consecutive home victory.

Toledo also received a season-high eight points from freshman Kaayla McIntyre and a career-best nine assists from sophomore Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott.

As a team, the Rockets dished out a season-best 21 assists and had only 14 turnovers, marking the eight time in the last 10 games they had more helpers than miscues.
 
Along with Capotosto's and Harris' eight caroms, junior Janice Monakana and Reecher also grabbed eight as well, bring UT's total to 43.
 
Toledo started the game red-hot from the field, hitting four triples in the opening five-plus minutes to take an 20-6 lead. Capotosto started and capped the opening surge with a pair of treys, while Harris and freshman Halee Printz accounted for the other two to give the home team a lead they would not relinquish.
 
UT closed out the first quarter with a 23-11 lead, holding the Huskies to 27.8 percent (5-of-18) from the floor.
 
Northern Illinois entered the second period as a different team, outscoring the Rockets 11-0 in the first three minutes of play. The Huskies intensity stunted UT, who only scored on one of their first eight shot attempts, and managed to cut the margin to 23-22 at the 6:38 mark.
 
Toledo emerged from the timeout prepared to maintain its lead throughout the rest of the half. Though UT's shooting dropped below 45 percent (13-of-29), the home team was able to enter halftime with a 32-26 lead.
 
The squads then traded baskets in the third stanza, before UT started the final quarter with a pivotal 10-2 run to extend its margin to a game-high 14 points, 59-45, with 7:26 left in regulation. The Rockets did a bulk on the damage on the interior, taking advantage of four layups to create some separation. McIntyre sparked the burst with four points, while Capotosto, Reecher and Harris were credited with the other baskets to establish an insurmountable lead.

The Huskies fought back with an 11-2 run over the ensuing two-plus minutes to pull within five points, 61-56, but Toledo responded with a jumper on the wing from sophomore Michaela Rasmussen and three free throws by Harris in the closing seconds to preserve the seven-point home victory.
 
The Rockets will return to the court on Wednesday, Jan. 20 when they travel to Akron. The opening tip against the high-powered Zips is slated for 7:00 p.m. in the James A. Rhodes Arena. UT returns to Savage Arena for the 'Battle of I-75' on Saturday, Jan. 30. Tip-off against arch-rival Bowling Green is set for 2:00 p.m.