DeKALB, Ill. – Toledo secured an impressive 63-51 victory against Northern Illinois in Saturday's Mid-American Conference action in the Convocation Center. With the double-digit win, the Midnight Blue & Gold improved to 7-7 overall, 2-1 in the league.

"This win feels good," Head Coach Tricia Cullop said. "Usually when we play NIU, it is a one- or two-possession or overtime game. It's always difficult to play in DeKalb. I was really proud of our focus. Defensively, we were locked in and didn't give up many second-chance points."   

Junior Nakiah Black paced the Rockets with a game-high 16 points, followed by junior Tanaya Beacham and freshman Quinesha Lockett with 11 and 10, respectively.

Toledo also received six points each from senior transfer Arianne Whitaker and junior Tatyana Davis to post its largest margin of victory against the Huskies (4-10, 0-3 MAC) on the road in 12 seasons under Coach Cullop.

As a team, Toledo shot a respectable 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from the floor, including 24.0 percent (6-of-25) from beyond the arc, and 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from the free throw line.

The Rockets also posted a plus-eight rebounding edge, 40-32, and had 16 assists with only 14 miscues. Beacham came close to posting her second double-double this year, pulling down a game-high nine caroms, while senior Mariella Santucci dished out a contest-best six helpers.

Grace Hunter was the only Husky in double figures, finishing with 11 points on the strength of a game-high three treys. NIU's Courtney Woods was held to nine points, including only one in the second half, almost seven points under her 16.8 ppg average.

The Rockets limited NIU to 35.3 percent (18-of-51) from the field, including 26.7 percent (4-of-15) from three-point land.

FIRST QUARTER
• Toledo utilized a late 11-4 run to claim a 15-13 lead after the opening 10 minutes. Five different Rockets accounted for points in the rally, including a pair of triples from Santucci and Davis, to give the visitors a one-possession advantage. It proved to be a lead the visitors would not give up.

SECOND QUARTER
• The Rockets remained dialed in to start the second period, scoring the first five points to stretch their advantage to 20-13 at the 8:08 mark. Beacham tallied a layup for the first points in the quarter, followed by a deep three-point field goal by senior Sara Rokkanen.

• The teams then battled back-and-forth for the remainder of the half, but a late 5-0 NIU run trimmed Toledo's lead to 31-28 at intermission.

• Black paced the Midnight Blue & Gold with seven points in the opening 20 minutes, followed closely by Beacham with six, while Woods led the home team with a game-high eight.   

THIRD QUARTER
• Just like in the second period, Toledo began the final 20 minutes shooting the ball lights out, rattling off the first five points to push its lead to eight points, 36-28. Three different Rockets registered points in the opening two-plus minutes to make it a three-possession difference at the 7:57 mark.

• NIU momentarily stopped Toledo's momentum with back-to-back layups, but the Rockets responded by scoring 10 of the final 12 points to build a 48-35 lead heading into the fourth stanza. Lockett triggered the pivotal stretch late with five points to give the Rockets a double-digit advantage.   

FOURTH QUARTER
• The Rockets then put the game out of reach on the strength of five-straight points from Black, to go along with a pair of layups by Beacham, to create a 19-point lead, 57-38, with 6:27 left in regulation.  

UP NEXT
• Toledo will entertain MAC East Division foe Akron (8-6, 1-2 MAC) on Wednesday, Jan. 15. The cross-division showdown is slated for 7:00 p.m. in Savage Arena and will be televised on ESPN+.