AKRON, Ohio – Megan Sefcik scored 15 of her game-high 29 points in overtime to propel Akron to a 70-64 victory over Toledo on Saturday in James A. Rhodes Arena. With the loss, the Rockets fall to 12-6 overall, 4-3 in the Mid-American Conference.

Toledo led, 53-49, with 3:17 left in regulation, but Akron scored the final four points to send the game into overtime. Sefcik accounted for all but two of the Zips' points in the extra period to help them stop a three-game losing skid. The senior guard shot a blistering 6-of-12 from beyond the arc for the game, including a perfect 2-of-2 in overtime, to put an end to a three-game losing streak against UT.

Senior Kaayla McIntyre paced the Rockets with 17 points, followed by senior Mikaela Boyd with 15 and sophomore Tanaya Beacham with a season-tying best 10. UT also received nine points each from junior Mariella Santucci and sophomore Nakiah Black, but it just was not enough against the Zips (12-6, 3-4 MAC).

As a team, the Rockets shot 41.0 percent (25-of-61) from the field, including 25.0 percent (3-of-12) from three-point range, and 68.8 percent (11-of-16) from the charity stripe. Toledo dominated the action close on the interior, finishing with a commanding 42-22 edge in points in the paint. 

Besides Sefcik's career-best effort, Caitlin Vari chipped in 13 points and Haliegh Reinoehl had 11 points and a game-high 12 boards for Akron.

FIRST QUARTER
• The Zips took advantage of two fouls each by McIntrye and Black, shooting 5-of-6 from the free-throw line, to take an 18-16 lead following the opening 10 minutes.

• UT was whistled for five fouls in the period, including two each by starters McIntyre and Black, while UA committed only one.

SECOND QUARTER
• Despite McIntyre & Black not in the lineup, the Rockets outscored the Zips, 13-3, in the quarter to assume a 29-21 lead at the intermission.

• Akron tallied the first points of the quarter at the 9:07 mark, but UT tightened up its defense and did not allow the home team to score for the remainder of the half.

• Santucci and Beacham sparked Toledo's offense in the stanza, combining for nine points to give the visitors an eight-point cushion at the intermission. Santucci was credited with five points in the period, while Beacham had four.

• Toledo scored 22 of its 29 points in the paint in the opening 20 minutes. They also took advantage of 11 UA turnovers and translated them into 13 points to build a three-possession cushion at halftime.

THIRD QUARTER
• McIntyre returned to the court in the period, accounting for eight points to make UT's lead 41-37 heading into the final 10 minutes. The Toledo native was credited with three field goals and a pair of free throws in the quarter to make it a two-possession difference.

FOURTH QUARTER
• Akron's Sefcik buried back-to-back triples from the corner in the opening two-plus minutes to give the lead back to the home team, 45-43, at the 7:49 mark.

• Following a Toledo timeout, McIntyre registered seven of the team's next 10 points to help the Midnight Blue & Gold reclaim the advantage, 53-49, with 3:17 left in regulation. The 2018-19 team captain converted three-consecutive layups and split a pair of free throws to swing the momentum back in UT's favor.

• Unfortunately for the Rockets, McIntyre's points would be their last in regulation, as Akron scored the final four to force overtime. UT misfired on ts last five shots in the quarter and had two turnovers over the final three-plus minutes of regulation.

OVERTIME
• UT registered the first points in the extra period on a layup by Boyd, but Sefcik responded with a pair of treys to give UA a 63-57 lead with 1:06 showing on the clock.

• Sefcik then sealed the victory by making seven of eight free throws.

UP NEXT
• The Rockets will host arch-rival Bowling Green (7-11, 0-7 MAC) on Saturday, Feb. 2. The opening tip against the Falcons is slated for 2:00 p.m. in Savage Arena and will be streamed on ESPN3.

• In conjunction with next Saturday's game, Toledo will hold its 13th-annual 'Rockets for the Cure' day. The event will help benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure of Northwest Ohio, the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center and the University of Toledo Center for Health and Successful Living. The Rockets encourage everyone in attendance to wear pink in support of cancer research.

• UT and BGSU will meet for the second time this year and 79th time overall. The Rockets secured a 79-65 road triumph against the Falcons on Jan. 19 in the Stroh Center.

• Bowling Green leads the all-time series, 42-36, but UT has won six in a row and nine of the last 10 overall. The Midnight Blue & Gold has also won four of the last five versus BGSU at home. In addition, Toledo holds a 19-14 advantage in games played in Lucas County.   

• Two years ago, Toledo registered a 74-59 home win against BGSU in Savage Arena (Feb. 11). 

• The Falcons' last victory against Toledo occurred on Feb. 2, 2014 when they escaped Savage Arena with a 66-59 road triumph, a span of 1,818 days.