BUFFALO, N.Y. – Toledo (8-4, 4-4 MAC) will look to win back-to-back Mid-American Conference games when it travels to Buffalo (8-4, 5-2 MAC) on Saturday, Jan. 23. The opening tip against the Bulls is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Alumni Arena and will be streamed on ESPN3. 

Toledo and UB will meet for the first of two matchups during the regular season and 32nd time overall. The Rockets will host the Bulls on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 5:30 p.m. in Savage Arena on ESPN+. A season ago, Toledo swept the regular-season series against Buffalo, securing a 71-59 home triumph (Jan. 8) and a 78-62 road victory (Feb. 8). 

Toledo leads the all-time series vs. UB, 24-7, and has won six of the last nine meetings. The Rockets also hold a 9-6 edge in games played in Alumni Arena, splitting their eight matchups under Head Coach Tricia Cullop.

Toledo will have its hands full against an efficient Buffalo offense on Saturday. The Bulls currently sit fourth in the league in scoring offense (75.75 ppg), fifth in overall field-goal percentage (.413, 321-of-777), fourth in three-point field-goal percentage (.344, 88-of-256) and sixth in three-point field-goals made (7.33, 88). Fortunately for the Rockets, their strength is on defense where they stand third in the MAC in scoring defense (67.25 ppg), fourth in overall field-goal percentage defense (.399, 289-of-663), second in three-point field-goal percentage defense (.289, 71-of-246) and tied for second in three-point field-goals allowed (5.9, 71).

Toledo enter tomorrow's matchup on the heels of a 67-62 home triumph vs. Northern Illinois (6-6, 4-3 MAC) on Wednesday. The Rockets outscored the Huskies 22-12 in the fourth quarter to snap NIU's four-game win streak. The visitors led by nine, 48-39, late in the third period, but shot just 22.2 percent (4-for-18) in the final stanza to let the Rockets back in the game. Toledo took full advantage of that opportunity and utilized a 10-3 run to start the final quarter and reclaim the lead for good.
 
Senior Tatyana Davis led a season-tying best four Rockets in double figures with a career-high 19 points off the bench vs. the Huskies, followed by freshman Sammi Mikonowicz, sophomore Quinesha Lockett and sophomore Sophia Wiard with 14, 12 and 10 points, respectively. A fourth-year Rocket, Davis is contributing 15.0 points over the last two games, the second-highest total on the team, and shooting an impressive 50.0 percent (12-of-24) from the field.

Toledo also finished with a commanding 23-1 edge in points off NIU turnovers to successfully bounce back from last Saturday's home loss against Bowling Green (10-3, 6-1 MAC). The Rockets scored those 23 points off 20 Northern Illinois miscues to sweep the regular-season series for the first time since 2015-16.

The Rockets, which sport a 1-2 road record, currently have four players averaging at least 7.0 points per game. Lockett leads the way at 18.5 ppg, while Wiard is second at 14.9 ppg.

Toledo will battle a Buffalo team which has lost two of its last three games, including an 84-81 road setback at Ohio (7-4, 5-3 MAC) on Wednesday. Three-time MAC Player of the Week Dyaisha Fair paced the Bulls with 21 points, 11 boards and four thefts vs. the Bobcats, followed by Adebola Adeyeye, Hanna Hall, Elea Gaba and Cheyenne McEvans with 16, 11, 10 and 10, respectively. 

UB, which possesses a 4-1 ledger at home, has five players contributing at least 8.0 points, led by Fair's 24.6 ppg, a MAC-best 5.17 apg and 2.67 spg. 

Following tomorrow's contest, the Rockets will host four-time reigning MAC regular-season champion Central Michigan (7-5, 5-3 MAC) on Wednesday, Jan. 27. The opening tip vs. the Chippewas is slated for 5:30 p.m. in Savage Arena and will be shown on ESPN+. The Rockets and CMU will square off for the first of two meetings during the regular season and 87th time overall.