ROCHESTER, Mich. – The University of Toledo women's basketball team opened its 2021-22 season on Tuesday night with an 84-72 win at Oakland.
 
The Rockets trailed 21-14 at the end of the first quarter, but pulled ahead before halftime to take a 36-34 lead into the second half. A 12-2 run in the third quarter helped push the lead to double digits, and the Midnight Blue and Gold would not trail for the remainder of the night.
 
"I told them I was proud of them after the game," head coach Tricia Cullop said. "We had some sloppy moments tonight, which is to be expected in the first game of the year, but we also had some moments where we executed really well. This team has a lot of room to grow. I get excited every day in practice because I can see what's ahead for this team."
 
Junior Quinesha Lockett led the Rockets with 23 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, her first career double-double. Freshman Jessica Cook, making her collegiate debut, also tallied a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Toledo had three other players reached double figures in scoring: junior Sophia Wiard (11), senior Jayda Jansen (10), and sophomore Nan Garcia (10), the latter two playing their first game with the Midnight Blue and Gold. Sophomore Sammi Mikonowicz collected eight rebounds and added a couple baskets.
 
Toledo won the battle on the glass, outrebounding Oakland to the tune of 46-36, and also outscored the Golden Grizzlies 42-24 in the paint.
 
1^st Quarter

• Wiard made the first basket of the 2021-22 season for the Rockets, driving to the hoop for an easy layup after a steal at the 8:44 mark.
• Lockett drilled her first three of the game, then scored on the next Toledo possession to put UT ahead 9-5.
• Oakland then used an 8-0 run to turn its four-point deficit into a four-point lead, 13-9.
• Jansen broke Toledo's scoreless drought with a bucket at the 3:30 mark, but the Golden Grizzlies continued to outpace the Rockets and ended up in front, 21-14, at the end of the first quarter.

2^nd Quarter

• Garcia opened the scoring in the second stanza, and her basket would start a 12-3 run that put the score at 26-24 in favor of Toledo.
• Cook's layup with 5:14 to go in the quarter was the score that put the Rockets in front.
• Oakland quickly retook the lead with back-to-back field goals from Kahlaijah Dean to put the ledger at 28-26.
• Cook later returned the favor, scoring on consecutive possessions to give the Rockets a 33-30 lead.
• The Midnight Blue and Gold would hang on toe the lead for the remainder of the first half, taking a 36-34 lead into the locker room.  

3^rd Quarter

• Both teams were jockeying for position in to begin the third quarter, but Garcia took the lead and scored seven of Toledo's first 11 points to help her team go up 47-43.
• After four straight Oakland free throws tied the score at 47-47, the Rockets surged ahead with a 12-2 run to make it 59-49, with sophomore Khera Goss' acrobatic layup serving as the exclamation point.
• Lockett beat the buzzer to keep Toledo's lead at 10, 69-59, heading into the fourth quarter.
• Goss had six points and a steal in the third quarter to help UT stay out in front.

4^th Quarter

• The Rockets never trailed in the fourth quarter and shot well at the free throw line, making 11-of-12 shots from the charity stripe to ice the game.
• Wiard was a perfect 4-for-4 from the line and had six points total in the fourth quarter to help Toledo win 84-72 and start the 2021-22 season 1-0.

 
Next Up
Toledo hosts Wright State on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 2:00 p.m. in its home opener.

Season tickets and single-game tickets are available now. To purchase season tickets or single-game tickets, order online at utrockets.com/tix, stop by the UT Athletic Ticket Office located in the Sullivan Athletic Complex at Savage Arena, or call 419-530-GOLD (4653).