TOLEDO, Ohio – Sophomore Sophia Wiard poured in 12 of her team-high 16 points in the fourth quarter to lead Toledo to a 65-57 victory over Akron on Saturday in Savage Arena. With the victory, the Rockets improve to 6-1 overall, 2-1 in the Mid-American Conference.

A 2020-21 team captain, Wiard was credited with two triples, two field goals and two free throws over the course of the final 10 minutes to help the Midnight Blue & Gold secure its third-straight triumph. 

With the score tied 55-55 with 4:17 left in regulation, Wiard drained a huge three-point field goal to give Toledo a lead it would not give up. Moments later, the Muskegon, Mich. native converted an acrobatic layup with the shot clock about to expire to extend the Rockets' advantage to six points, 63-57. She then finished off Toledo's scoring with two charity tosses in the final minute to preserve the victory.

Sophomore Mali Morgan-Elliott added a career-high 14 points, followed closely by freshman Khera Goss with 12. Fellow newcomer Sammi Mikonowicz also chipped in eight points, a team-best eight boards and a game-high six helpers.  

As a team, the Rockets shot 41.5 percent (22-of-53) from the field, including a respectable 40.0 percent (8-of-20) from three-point land, and 65.0 percent (13-of-20) from the charity stripe. They also finished with 16 assists and only 12 turnovers, marking the third time they had more helpers than miscues this year. 

Lonasia Brewer paced Akron (3-3, 0-3 MAC) with a game-high 21 points and a contest-best 11 rebounds, while Kendall Miller had 10 points. UA's leading scorer Jordyn Dawson at 19.8 ppg was held to six points. 

Besides Wiard's fourth-quarter heroics, the story of today's league matchup was the play of the Rockets' perimeter defense. They limited the Zips to a 27.3 percent (3-of-11) clip from beyond the arc. Akron came into the contest averaging 9.2 treys and shooting 37.4 percent from three-point land.

FIRST QUARTER
• The Zips benefited from back-to-back late treys from Brewer to take an 18-16 lead after the opening 10 minutes. The visitors also received six points by Miller to help them establish an early one-possession advantage. 

• Toledo rode the hot hand of Morgan-Elliott at the outset, getting seven points from the 2020-21 team captain to keep the home team within striking distance.

SECOND QUARTER
• Morgan-Elliott remained locked in offensively, draining her second triple and knocking down a pair of free throws to pull the Rockets within a single point, 33-32, at intermission.

• Toledo also took advantage from five points each from newcomers Halle Idowu and Goss to make it a one-point difference at the break.

• Morgan-Elliott paced the home team with 12 points in the opening 20 minutes, while Brewer led Akron with 12. Toledo's two-leading scorers, sophomore Quinesha Lockett and Wiard, combined for only one point in the first half. 

THIRD QUARTER
• The Rockets began the second half with a 9-3 burst, helping them build a 43-40 lead at the 4:33 mark. Four different players accounted for points in the rally to give Toledo its first lead since midway through the second stanza. 

• Unfortunately for Toledo, Akron's Brewer muscled her way inside for back-to-back baskets to knot the score at 46-46 following 30 minutes of action.

FOURTH QUARTER
• The teams battled back-and-forth with neither holding more than a one-possession advantage before Toledo's Wiard and Mikonowicz buried consecutive three-point field goals to put Toledo in front for good. 

• The score remained the same until Wiard made a driving layup to beat the shot clock and in the process sealed the Rockets' home victory.

UP NEXT
• The Rockets will travel to Ball State (3-3, 1-1 MAC) on Wednesday, Jan. 6. The opening tip against the Cardinals is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Worthen Arena.


Highlights from Toledo's win over Akron.


Head Coach Tricia Cullop Post-game.


Sophomore Guard Sophia Wiard Post-game.