MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Toledo gave Mid-American Conference West Division leader Central Michigan all it could handle on Saturday, and then some. Unfortunately for the Rockets, they came up a little short against the MAC's lone unbeaten team by a score of 73-66 in McGuirk Arena. With the tough loss, the Midnight Blue & Gold falls to 9-8 overall, 4-2 in the league.

Toledo held a 61-58 lead with 5:45 left in regulation when CMU (14-4, 7-0 MAC) went on a pivotal 9-0 run to create an advantage it would not give up. The Chippewas' Kyra Bussell triggered the game-changing burst with a pair of free throws and a triple from the wing to take the wind out of the sails of the Rockets.

The closest Toledo would get the remainder of today's MAC West Division showdown was four points, as its season-high four-game winning streak came to an end.

"Central Michigan stepped up its play in the fourth quarter, and we didn't match it," Head Coach Tricia Cullop said. "Give them a lot of credit, they are a very good team."

Junior Nakiah Black paced the Rockets with 19 points, followed closely by freshman Quinesha Lockett with 15, all in the second half. Black returned to the lineup after sitting out last Saturday's game vs. arch-rival Bowling Green with a concussion sustained late against Akron on Jan. 15.

"It was great to have Nakiah back," Cullop said. "She is such a big part of our team."

Toledo also received seven points each from senior Sara Rokkanen and junior Tanaya Beacham, but it just was not enough against the Chippewas.

 As a team, the Rockets shot 39.7 percent (25-of-63) from the floor, including 37.5 percent (9-of-24) from beyond the arc, and 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from the free throw line.

Molly Davis led CMU (14-4, 7-0 MAC) with a season-high 28 points, while MAC Player of the Year candidate Micaela Kelly had 19 points and a contest-best 11 rebounds.

The home team also benefited from 10 points and nine boards from Bussell, including those five huge points in the fourth, to extend their unbeaten streak to a season-high seven games.

FIRST QUARTER
• The Chippewas started out on fire, scoring 11 of the first 13 points and held a 17-10 lead after 10 minutes. Davis triggered Central Michigan's strong start with a pair of triples in the first two-plus minutes of the contest.

• Toledo settled down in the waning moments of the period though, receiving points from freshman Soleil Barnes and Black to keep itself within striking distance.

SECOND QUARTER
• The Rockets continued their late momentum from the first stanza at the outset of the second, rattling off 13 of the first 17 points to take a 23-21 advantage at the 6:02 mark. Freshman Mali Morgan-Elliott started the burst with a trey, followed by seven-straight points from Black, and Rokkanen finished it off with her second three-pointer to prompt CMU to call a timeout.

• Black remained red-hot shooting the ball following the stoppage in play, burying two more triples to give Toledo a 33-31 lead at the intermission. The two-time team captain scored 13 of her team-high 15 first-half points in the second period.

• As a team, the Rockets shot a sensational 5-of-7 from beyond the arc in the second quarter to help them erase an early double-digit deficit.
 
THIRD QUARTER
• After being held scoreless in the first half due to foul trouble, Lockett exploded for eight points in the third stanza to put Toledo in front 56-52. The first-year Rocket converted three layups and knocked down a pair of charity tosses to give the visitors a four-point cushion heading into the final period.

FOURTH QUARTER
• Like a championship boxing match, the division went back-and-forth for the opening four-plus minutes of the final quarter, before CMU strung together the pivotal run to take control. Three different Chippewas tallied points during the stretch, including five from Bussell to take down the Rockets.

UP NEXT
• Toledo will host Eastern Michigan (9-9, 4-3 MAC) on Wednesday, Jan. 29. The MAC West Division contest will tipoff at 7:00 p.m. in Savage Arena and be televised on ESPN+.

• In conjunction with Wednesday's home game, Toledo will host Rockets' Wine Night. The event will take place in the Fetterman Gym from 5:30-7:00 p.m. and is for fans 21 years old and over only.

• Cost to attend Rocket' Wine Night is $30.00 and includes a game ticket, wine samples and appetizers. Tickets are also $20.00 for fans who have already purchased their game tickets. The cost for designated drivers is $20.00 and includes a game ticket and appetizers with soft drinks.