TOLEDO, Ohio - Toledo will start a three-game stretch against Mid-American Conference East Division opponents on Saturday, Feb. 1 when it entertains Kent State (11-7, 4-3 MAC). Tipoff is slated for 2:00 p.m. in Savage Arena and the cross-division matchup will be streamed on ESPN3. 

Along with tomorrow's home game, the University of Toledo will host the fifth-annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day. NGWIS inspires girls and women to play and be active to realize their full power. The day will showcase Toledo's current female student-athletes, staff and coaches and thank them for all of their hard work.

Toledo and Kent State will square off in the first of two meetings during the regular season and 75th time overall. The Rockets will travel to Kent on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 3:30 p.m. in the M.A.C. Center.

The Rockets are a perfect 3-0 (1.000) against cross-division foes thus far in 2019-20 and 64-31 (.674) over the last 11-plus seasons under Head Coach Tricia Cullop.

Toledo leads the all-time series, 42-32, but it has lost three-in-a-row, all at home, and four of the last five overall. The Rockets also hold a 20-12 edge in games played in the "Glass City." A year ago, Toledo dropped a 58-47 home decision against KSU (Jan. 12). Senior Sara Rokkanen scored 12 points and Kaayla McIntyre added 11, but it wasn't enough to overcome a tough shooting night for the Rockets.

Toledo and Kent State shared two common non-conference opponents in 2019-20: Duquesne and Troy. The Rockets suffered a 79-74 road setback against the Dukes on Dec. 7 and dropped a 71-64 neutral-court decision against the Trojans at the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic in Las Vegas on Dec. 19. The Golden Flashes registered a 77-75 road victory against Duquesne on Nov. 5 and fell 71-64 vs. Troy at the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic in Las Vegas on Dec. 20.

The Midnight Blue & Gold is coming off a 77-62 setback against MAC West Division foe Eastern Michigan on Wednesday to snap its five-game home winning streak.
      
The Eagles (10-9, 5-3 MAC) converted a MAC-season best 52.9 percent (27-of-51) from the floor, scoring 42 points in the paint to stop a three-game losing skid against the Rockets. The visitors also took advantage of 21 Toledo miscues and posted a 20-12 edge in points off turnovers.

Junior Nakiah Black paced Toledo with 13 points, followed closely by classmates Tatyana Davis and Tanaya Beacham with 12 and 10, respectively. The home team also received eight points each from seniors Arianne Whitaker and Mariella Santucci.

The Rockets will take on a KSU squad which secured a 69-68 home triumph vs. Ball State (13-7, 5-3 MAC) on Wednesday.

Megan Carter led four Golden Flashes in double figures against BSU with a game-high 20 points, while the trio of Katie Shumate, Nila Blackford and Lindsay Thall tallied 15, 14 and 11, respectively. Blackford added eight rebounds and Shumate had nine boards and a career-high five assists, helping KSU claim its fourth win over the last five games.

Kent State, which is 4-2 away from home, features five players averaging at least 10.9 points per game fueled by Blackford's 14.1 ppg. 

Toledo, which sports a 5-4 home record, continues to be fueled offensively by the quintet of Black, Beacham, freshman Quinesha Lockett, Santucci and Davis, who are averaging 12.1, 9.4, 8.9, 8.8 and 7.9 ppg, respectively. This group accounts for 69.2 percent (828-of-1,197) of the Rockets' points through the first 18 games.

Following tomorrow's home matchup, Toledo will travel to MAC East Division foe Miami (8-11, 1-6 MAC) on Wednesday, Feb. 5. The MAC cross-division showdown is slated for 7:00 p.m. in Millett Hall and will be streamed on ESPN3.