TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo (7-7, 2-1 MAC) will look to stretch its winning streak to three games when it hosts Mid-American Conference East Division foe Akron (8-6, 1-2 MAC) on Wednesday, Jan. 15. The MAC cross-division matchup is slated for 7:00 p.m. in Savage Arena and will be televised on ESPN+. 

The Rockets have won four of their last five games, including an impressive 63-51 road triumph at Northern Illinois on Saturday. 

Junior Nakiah Black paced Toledo with a game-high 16 points against the Huskies (4-10, 0-3 MAC), followed by junior Tanaya Beacham and freshman Quinesha Lockett with 11 and 10, respectively.

The Rockets also received six points each from senior transfer Arianne Whitaker and junior Tatyana Davis to post their largest margin of victory against NIU on the road in 12 seasons under Head Coach Tricia Cullop.

As a team, Toledo shot a respectable 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from the floor, 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.

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

Grace Hunter was the only Huskie in double figures, finishing with 11 points. NIU's leading scorer Courtney Woods was held to nine points, including only one in the second half, almost seven points under her squad-best 16.8 ppg average.

Akron enters tomorrow's league contest on the heels of a 76-73 come-from-behind road victory at Bowling Green on Saturday. The Zips outscored the Falcons 14-0 over the final 2:29 to secure its first league victory. Haleigh Reinoehl paced UA with a game-high 26 points and 10 rebounds against the Falcons, while Caitlin Vari had 14 points and a contest-best 16 caroms.  

Akron, which is 5-2 away from home, features three players averaging at least 9.0 points per game paced by Reinoehl's 14.1 ppg and 7.7 rpg.
    
The Rockets and Zips will meet for the only time during the regular season and 57th time overall.
 
Toledo leads the all-time series, 42-14, and has won three of the last four meetings against its cross-division rival. The Rockets also hold a commanding 24-4 (.857) edge in games played in the "Glass City." 

A year ago, Toledo dropped a tough 70-64 overtime decision against UA in James A. Rhodes Arena (Jan. 26). 

Toledo and Akron shared two common non-conference opponents in 2019-20: Detroit Mercy and Duquesne. Both teams defeated the Horizon League member Titans and lost to the Atlantic 10 member Dukes. The Rockets claimed an 82-64 road triumph against UDM on Dec. 14 and suffered a 79-74 road setback vs. DU on Dec. 7, while the Zips secured an 81-60 road win vs. Detroit Mercy on Nov. 23 and sustained an 88-63 home loss vs. Duquesne on Dec. 4.

Toledo, which is in the midst of a three-game home winning streak, continues to be fueled offensively by the Black, Beacham, Santucci, junior Tatyana Davis and Lockett, who are averaging 11.8, 9.6, 9.3, 7.9 and 7.7 ppg, respectively.
   
Following Wednesday's home matchup vs. Akron, Toledo will entertain arch-rival Bowling Green (7-8, 0-3 MAC) on Saturday, Jan. 18. The MAC cross-division showdown is slated for 2:00 p.m. in Savage Arena and will be streamed on ESPN3.