TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo (8-5, 4-5 MAC) will reach the midway point of the Mid-American Conference season when it entertains MAC preseason favorite Central Michigan (8-5, 6-3 MAC) on Wednesday, Jan. 27. The opening tip against the Chippewas is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in Savage Arena and will be shown on ESPN+. 

The Rockets sit ninth in the league standings, while the Chippewas are tied for fourth. There are currently seven teams within two games of one another, including the Midnight Blue & Gold.

Tomorrow's contest will continue Toledo's grueling four-game stretch against one of the MAC's top offenses. The Chippewas are second in the conference in scoring offense (78.15 ppg), first in field-goal percentage (.446, 366-of-820), third in three-point field-goal percentage (.354, 136-of-384) and first in three-point field-goals made (10.46, 136). Fortunately for the Rockets, they have more than held their own on defense through the first nine games. The Rockets are third in the MAC in scoring defense (67.77 ppg), fifth in overall field-goal percentage defense (.403, 315-of-781) and second in both three-point field-goal percentage defense (.295, 77-of-261) and three-point field-goals allowed (5.92, 77). 

Toledo and Central Michigan will meet for the first of two matchups during the regular season and 87th time overall. The Rockets will travel to CMU on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 5:00 p.m. in McGuirk Arena.  

Toledo leads the all-time series, 51-35, and has won three of the last five meetings on the hardwood. The Rockets also maintain a 29-12 advantage in games played in Savage Arena, including a 9-3 (.750) mark under Head Coach Tricia Cullop. A season ago, Toledo and CMU split its two regular-season meetings with the home team emerging victorious each time. The Rockets secured a 76-67 home triumph against the Chippewas in Savage Arena (March 4) and suffered a 73-66 road setback in McGuirk Arena (Jan. 25). The teams then squared off for a third time in the quarterfinals of the 2020 MAC Tournament, with Toledo registering a 78-71 neutral-court win in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (March 11). 

The Rockets will look to bounce back from a 74-65 road loss at Buffalo (9-4, 6-2 MAC) on Saturday in Alumni Arena. Sophomore Soleil Barnes poured in a career-high 19 points thanks to five three-point field goals in her season debut to lead Toledo against the Bulls, while junior Lexi Lance contributed a collegiate-best 13 points. A native of Southfield, Mich., Barnes had missed the last 19 games while recovering from a PCL injury, dating back to last season.

The Rockets also received 10 points and a season-tying best 13 rebounds from freshman Sammi Mikonowicz, 10 points from sophomore Quinesha Lockett, as well as nine points and a game-high seven assists by sophomore Sophia Wiard.

Toledo, which sports an impressive 7-2 home record, has four players averaging at least 6.5 points per game. Lockett leads the way at 17.8 ppg, followed by Wiard at 14.5 ppg. Wiard continues to lead the MAC in assist/turnover ratio (2.35, 61-26), as well as ranking third in helpers, while Lockett is third in free throw percentage (.886, 39-of-44), eighth in overall field-goal percentage (.452, 85-of-188) and 10th in scoring.

Toledo will square off against a Central Michigan team which is coming off a 92-69 road victory at Akron on Saturday to snap a three-game losing skid. Molly Davis paced the Chippewas with a career-high 32 points vs. the Zips, followed by Michaela Kelly with 17. Anika Weekes also contributed 11 points and a game-high 10 boards off the bench. 

CMU, which possesses a 4-3 record away from home, has four players contributing at least 10.5 points, led by reigning MAC Player of the Year Kelly's 23.2 ppg, the third-highest mark in the MAC. 

Following tomorrow's contest against CMU, the Rockets will travel to arch-rival Bowling Green (11-3, 7-2 MAC) on Saturday, Jan. 30. The opening tip vs. the Falcons is slated for Noon in the Stroh Center. Toledo and BGSU will meet for the second time in the last two weeks and 82nd time overall. The Rockets dropped a 69-57 home contest against the Falcons on Jan. 16 in Savage Arena, snapping an eight-game win streak in the series.