ATHENS, Ohio – Toledo (11-12, 6-6 MAC) will play its final Mid-American Conference East Division opponent on Wednesday, Feb. 19, when it travels to frontrunner Ohio (16-7, 9-3 MAC). Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m. in the Convocation Center and will be televised on ESPN+.

Toledo has tallied a 5-2 (.714) record against cross-division foes so far in 2019-20 and registered a 66-33 (.667) mark over the last 11-plus seasons under Head Coach Tricia Cullop.

The Rockets are currently tied for sixth place in the overall MAC standings with six regular-season contests remaining.

The Rockets and Bobcats will meet for the only time during the regular season and 72nd time overall. Toledo leads the all-time series, 46-25, and has won the last two meetings, both at home.

A season ago, four Rockets scored in double figures to lift them to a 76-50 victory over Ohio before 3,364 fans in Savage Arena. 
    
Junior Nakiah Black paced Toledo offensively with six triples and 20 points. Black shot a blistering 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, equaling the ninth-highest total in school history.

Kaayla McIntyre added 17 points, a game-high 12 caroms and a contest-best five rejections, while senior Mariella Santucci notched her third career double-double with 13 points and a season-high 10 helpers. 

As a team, Toledo shot a season-high 59.2 percent (29-of-49) from the field and collected a MAC season-tying best 25 assists. The Rockets also converted a season-best 62.5 percent (10-of-16) from three-point range. 

The Midnight Blue & Gold has dropped its last three games against Ohio in the Convo, most recently suffering a 78-61 loss on Dec. 31, 2017. Toledo's last victory in Athens occurred on Jan. 26, 2014 when it escaped town with a 64-62 road triumph. 

The Rockets are coming off an 87-68 road setback against Kent State (14-9, 7-5 MAC) on Saturday.

The Golden Flashes jumped out to an early lead and successfully bounced back from a 69-60 loss vs. Toledo on Feb. 1 in Savage Arena.

Santucci paced the Rockets with 13 points, five boards and a squad-tying best five assists. The 2019-20 team captain is averaging an impressive 18.6 points over the last five games, shooting 66.7 percent (30-of-45) from the field and 88.9 percent (24-of-27) from the charity stripe.

Junior Tanaya Beacham, who appeared in the starting lineup for the first time since Dec. 29, contributed 12 points while freshman Quinesha Lockett had 10.

The Rockets also received eight points from Black and seven each by junior Tatyana Davis and freshman Sophia Wiard.

As a team, Toledo connected on 39.7 percent (23-of-58) from the field, including a MAC-season tying best 50.0 percent (9-of-18) from three-point range, and a season-high 92.9 percent (13-of-14) from the charity stripe.

The Rockets also finished with a 38-30 edge on the boards and had four players with at least five caroms, highlighted by six each from Beacham, Black and Lockett.

Katie Shumate paced Kent State with a season-high 24 points, followed closely by Asiah Dingle with 22 off the bench. The home team also benefited from 13 points by Lindsey Thall and 12 from Hannah Young.

The Rockets, which sport a 5-7 road record, currently have three players averaging at least 10.0 points in MAC play. Black leads the way at 13.1 ppg, followed closely by Santucci and Lockett at 12.8 and 10.2 ppg, respectively.

As a team in league action, the Rockets are leading the MAC in three-point field goal percentage (.350, 84-of-240). Individually, Santucci is knocking down a sensational 68.2 percent (15-of-22) from beyond the arc against conference opponents. 

Toledo will battle an Ohio team which has won seven of its last eight games, most recently claiming an 84-70 road triumph vs. Miami on Saturday. Erica Johnson led the Bobcats with a game-high 23 points and a contest-best nine assists against the RedHawks (11-14, 4-9 MAC), followed by Katie Barker, Amani Burke, Cierra Hook and Gabby Burris with 15, 14, 13 and 13, respectively. 

Ohio, which is 9-1 at home, features a high-powered attack with four players contributing at least 10.0 points, led by Johnson's and Hooks' 17.7 and 17.5 ppg.

In MAC games, the Bobcats are first in turnover margin (+8.08) and steals (11.25 spg) and second in scoring offense (77.58 ppg) and scoring margin (+7.75).

Following tomorrow's road matchup, Toledo will entertain Western Michigan (13-10, 6-6 MAC) on Saturday, Feb. 22. The MAC West Division matchup is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Savage Arena and will be televised on ESPN3. 

The Rockets and Broncos will meet for the second time this season and 82nd overall. Toledo suffered an 84-72 road setback against WMU on Jan. 4 in its MAC opener to snap an 11-game winning streak in the series.

In conjunction with Saturday's home game, Toledo will hold its 14th-annual 'Rockets for the Cure.' The contest will help benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure of Northwest Ohio and the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center. 

The Rockets have raised over $142,000 for this cause over the last decade. Toledo players will once again wear special pink uniforms for the game. Guest emcee Chrys Peterson and the Rockets will hold a live jersey auction immediately following the contest.