DETROIT, Mich. – Toledo closed out its non-conference slate with an impressive 81-64 triumph over Detroit Mercy on Thursday in Calihan Hall. With the win, UT improves to 9-3 on the season.

Junior Olivia Cunningham paced four Rockets in double figures with 19 points, followed closely by senior Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott with 17. The 2017 Mid-American Conference champions also received 14 points from junior Kaayla McIntyre and 11 by junior Mikaela Boyd to top the 80-point barrier for the second-straight contest.

As a team, Toledo shot 46.3 (31-of-67) from the field, including 30.0 percent (9-of-30) from three-point land, and 62.5 percent (10-of-16) from the charity stripe to record its ninth win before league play, tied for third most in school history.

UT did a good job taking care of the basketball against the Horizon League member Titans and finished with 23 assists, its second-highest total this year, compared to only 11 miscues. Boyd and sophomore Mariella Santucci were the catalysts of Toledo's offense, dishing out a season-high seven and five helpers, respectively. 

The Rockets were also solid defensively against the Titans and forced 15 turnovers, translating those miscues into 22 points.

Brianne Cohen led UDM (0-11) with a game-high 21 points, while Lexey Tobel had 11.

The Rockets took advantage of eight early points from Cunningham to race out to a 25-14 lead after the first period. The Horn Lake, Miss. native, who missed the previous two games due to suspension, was a perfect 3-of-3 from the floor and 2-of-3 from the charity stripe in five minutes of action.

Neither team shot the ball well from the field in the second period, as UT carried a 36-23 advantage into the intermission. Toledo was limited to 29.4 percent (5-of-17) from the floor in the second stanza and posted 11 points, while Detroit Mercy connected on a frigid 16.7 percent (2-of-12) and totaled nine points. Boyd and McIntyre combined to tally all but two points in the quarter, helping the visitors secure a 13-point lead at the break.

Toledo came out of the locker room re-energized and scored 11 of the first 15 points to extend its margin to 20 points, 47-27, at the 6:05 mark. Five different Rockets tallied points in the opening three-plus minutes to prompt UDM to burn its third timeout.

The Titans used the stoppage to their advantage and outscored the Rockets 14-4 over the last four-plus minutes to make the difference 53-43 at the end of the third quarter.

UT would not let UDM get any closer though, as Woody, Bravo-Harriott and Cunningham each buried triples early in the final period to kill any threat of a Titans' comeback.   

The Rockets will now take a break for the holiday before opening MAC play at Ohio (5-5) on Sunday, Dec. 31. Game time versus the Bobcats is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in the Convocation Center.

UT has been pegged second in the MAC West Division, while Ohio has been picked to finish third in the East Division, according to a preseason vote of the league's 12 head coaches.

Toledo has dropped the last four match-ups against its cross-division rival but still holds a 44-24 advantage in the all-time series.

A season ago, the Bobcats swept the regular-season series, claiming a 64-55 road victory (Jan. 18) and a 61-55 home win (Feb. 4).