BUFFALO, N.Y. - Toledo (10-10, 5-4 MAC) will wrap up a three-game stretch against Mid-American Conference East Division opponents on Saturday, Feb. 8 when it travels to Buffalo (13-7, 4-5 MAC). Tipoff is slated for 2:00 p.m. in Alumni Arena and the cross-division matchup will be streamed on ESPN3. 

The Rockets are 4-1 (.800) against MAC East Division foes so far this year and have amassed a 65-32 (.670) ledger over the last 11-plus seasons under Head Coach Tricia Cullop.

Toledo and 2019 MAC Champion Buffalo will meet for the second time this year and 31st time overall. The Rockets secured a 71-59 home triumph against the Bulls on Jan. 8 before 3,217 fans in Savage Arena.

The Midnight Blue & Gold led wire-to-wire to snap the UB's seven-game winning streak. Junior Tanaya Beacham paced the home team with 17 points off the bench. Freshman Quinesha Lockett added 13 points, a season-high seven rebounds, three assists and two thefts.

Toledo also received eight points from junior Nakiah Black and seven each from senior Mariella Santucci, junior Tatyana Davis and freshman Sophia Wiard to stop a three-game losing skid vs. Buffalo.   

The Rockets lead the all-time series, 23-7, but Buffalo holds a slim 8-6 edge in games played in Alumni Arena. 
      
A year ago, Toledo dropped a 73-63 road decision against UB (Feb. 6). The Rockets were outscored 47-27 against the Bulls in the second half en route to suffering the 10-point road setback. UB shot 53.6 percent (15-of-28) from the field and 78.9 percent (15-of-19) from the charity stripe in the final 20 minutes to overcome a 36-26 halftime deficit.

The Rockets, who are currently tied for fourth place in the overall MAC standings, are coming off a 92-83 loss at red-hot Miami (11-11, 4-6 MAC) on Wednesday.

Toledo trailed the RedHawks 71-50 after three periods before putting forth a courageous fourth-quarter effort that saw the visitors get within seven points in the final minute.

Unfortunately for the Rockets, they could not close the gap any further and as a result suffered their first loss against a MAC East Division opponent this year.

Santucci led Toledo with a career-high 31 points vs. Miami, to go along with a contest-best nine boards and six dimes. The 2019-20 team captain became the first Rocket to score at least 20 points in back-to-back games this year. She totaled 20 points vs. Kent State last Saturday.

Lockett contributed 13 points, Black had 11 and junior Tanaya Beacham chipped in 10 off the bench. 

As a team, Toledo connected on a respectable 49.2 percent (30-of-61) from the field, including 42.9 percent (9-of-21) from three-point range, and a season-high 87.5 percent (14-of-16) from the charity stripe. 

The Rockets, which sport a 4-6 road record, currently have three players averaging at least double figures in MAC play. Black leads the way at 13.1 ppg, followed closely by Santucci and Lockett at 12.3 and 11.8 ppg, respectively.

As a team in league games, Toledo is fifth in scoring offense (70.0 ppg), as well as ranking second in both overall field-goal percentage (.427, 221-of-518) and three-point field-goal percentage (.335, 60-of-179). 

Toledo will tussle with a UB squad which has lost three of its last four contests, most recently dropping a 64-63 road decision vs. Northern Illinois last Saturday, Feb. 1.

The Huskies outscored the Bulls 21-12 in the fourth quarter to secure the home victory. MAC Player of the Year candidate Dyaisha Fair paced UB with a game-high 23 points against NIU, followed by Elea Gaba with 15.

Buffalo, which is 7-2 at home, features two players averaging at least 14.0 points per game fueled by Fair's MAC-best 22.5 ppg.

Following tomorrow's road matchup at Buffalo, Toledo will host MAC West Division rival Ball State (14-7, 6-3 MAC) on Wednesday, Feb. 12. The MAC West Division showdown is slated for 7:00 p.m. in Savage Arena and will be televised on ESPN+.