DeKALB, Ill. – Toledo (2-0) will look to continue its red-hot start to the season when it travels to Northern Illinois (2-1) on Thursday, Dec. 10 to open Mid-American Conference play. Tipoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. CT) in the Convocation Center and will be streamed on ESPN3.

The Rockets have been pegged seventh in the MAC, while the Huskies have been picked to finish eighth, according to a preseason vote of the league's 12 head coaches.

Toledo has begun the year with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2016-17, the third occasion under head coach Tricia Cullop. The Midnight Blue & Gold has started a season 2-0 on 14 occasions in program history. 

With a victory against the Huskies on Thursday, Toledo will start 3-0 for the first time since 1996-97. That year, the Rockets finished 27-4 overall, 16-2 in the league, and won the MAC championship.  
    
Toledo is coming off an impressive 75-65 victory against Detroit Mercy on Saturday at home. The Rockets utilized a balanced effort en route to posting a double-digit triumph vs. the Titans. Sophomore Quinesha Lockett paced four Rockets in double figures with 17 points, followed closely by freshman Sammi Mikonowicz, sophomore Sophia Wiard and freshman Khera Goss with 15, 14 and 13 points, respectively. Mikonowicz added a game-high 13 rebounds to record her first-collegiate double-double.

Through the first two games this season, Toledo is fueled offensively by the quartet of Lockett, Wiard, Mikonowicz and Goss, who are averaging 19.5, 14.5, 12.5 and 10.5 ppg, respectively. This group accounts for 78.1 percent (114 of 146 points) of the Rockets' scoring. 

NIU enters Thursday's league opener on the heels of back-to-back victories against Eastern Illinois, 82-72, and most recently Western Illinois, 79-67, at the Compass Challenge in Charleston, Ill. on Dec. 4-5. 

The Huskies feature an offense with three players averaging at least 10.0 points per game paced by Chelby Koker's 20.7 ppg, followed by Janae Poisson's 14.3 ppg.
    
Toledo and Northern Illinois will meet for the first of matchups during the regular season and 59th time overall. The Rockets will host NIU on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 2:00 p.m. in Savage Arena on ESPN+. A year ago, the teams split their two meetings with the road squad emerging victorious each time. The Rockets secured a 63-51 triumph against the Huskies in the Convocation Center (Jan. 11) and suffered an 86-79 setback on "Senior Day" in Savage Arena (March 7).

The Rockets lead the all-time series vs. NIU, 36-22, and have won five of the last eight overall. The Huskies hold a 15-12 edge in contests played in DeKalb and have won two of the last three meetings against Toledo on their home court. 

The Rockets are 23-16 (.590) all-time in MAC openers, including an 11-11 ledger when beginning league action away from home. Last season, Toledo suffered an 84-72 road setback at Western Michigan.

Toledo and NIU have squared off in the MAC opener on two occasions (1981, 2010), with the home team emerging victorious each time. Most recently, the Rockets claimed a 71-66 triumph against the Huskies on Jan. 6, 2010 in Savage Arena. 

Following Thursday's contest, the Rockets will host Kent State (0-1) on Sunday, Dec. 13. The opening tip against the Golden Flashes is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Savage Arena and will be shown on ESPN+.