EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The University of Toledo women's basketball team closed out the third quarter of Sunday's game at SIUE on a 16-5 run, paving the way to a 66-57 win at the Vadalabene Center.
 
The Rockets (6-2) trailed the Cougars (4-6) by two, 33-31, at the midway point of the third quarter before scoring the next six points to take a four-point lead, 37-33, with 3:21 to go. UT would grow its lead to double figures by the end of the third quarter and stayed in control for the remainder of the game to clinch its third straight victory.
 
"I wasn't happy with the amount of turnovers tonight," head coach Tricia Cullop said. "Limiting turnovers is something we have done really well this season, but we also haven't faced a team that pressed the whole game like SIUE does. Today's game shows that we still have a lot to work on, but I am proud of our team. SIUE has beaten some pretty good teams and they'll only get better with their head coach, she does a tremendous job. It's not easy to win on the road, no matter who you play."
 
Junior Sophia Wiard scored a game-high 20 points, making 8-of-13 shots from the floor, and pulled down eight rebounds. Junior Quinesha Lockett (15 points) and sophomore Khera Goss (10 points) both reached double figures in scoring as well. Sophomore Sammi Mikonowicz nearly tallied a double-double, collecting a game-high 10 rebounds and scoring eight points.
 
"I was really proud of the way Sophia played today," Cullop said. "I thought she showed great leadership and she had one of her best offensive performances. She did a really good job of crashing the boards as well, as did Sammi and Quinesha. I'm proud of the work all three put in on the glass."


Bolstered by a 51.7 field goal percentage in the second half, Toledo shot 45.5 percent from the floor for the whole game (25-for-55) compared to SIUE's 36.5 field goal percentage (19-for-52). Neither team found much success from beyond the arc, as both squads combined to shoot 3-for-28 from long range. The Rockets and Cougars both committed their fair share of fouls, tallying 24 and 26, respectively.
 
Following Sunday's game against SIUE, the Rockets will head to Springfield, Mo. for Tuesday's game at Missouri State (8-2). That matchup will tip at 11:00 a.m. CT/noon ET.
 
"We have plenty of areas of our game that we need to clean up, and we need to learn quickly from this game and move on," Cullop said. "We have a very tough game ahead of us and my biggest concern is getting our players off their feet, getting them plenty of rest, and making sure they're ready for the next game."
 
1^st Quarter

• The first quarter was about as back-and-forth as it gets, as neither team held a lead larger than two until the final two minutes of the quarter.
• Goss scored on a fast break to put Toledo ahead, 13-12, before SIUE scored the next four points to take a 16-13 lead with 1:55 to go.
• In the final seconds of the first quarter, Lockett's layup put the Rockets within one, 16-15.

 
2^nd Quarter

• Lockett picked up where she left off to start the second quarter, drilling a three-pointer to give UT an 18-16 lead.
• The Cougars scored the next four points to take a 20-18 lead, but the Rockets returned the favor by scoring the next two baskets to once again go up by two, 22-20, with 7:20 to go in the half.
• Neither team was able to pull away in the second quarter, and both squads combined for 15 fouls, with SIUE committing 10 of them.
• Wiard made both of her free throw attempts at the 1:18 mark to give Toledo a 27-26 lead, and SIUE's Prima Chellis made one of her two freebies in the waning seconds to bring the score to a 27-27 stalemate heading into the half.

 
3^rd Quarter

• Wiard's basket with 3:52 to go in the quarter gave Toledo a 37-33 lead, the first time either team held more than a one-possession lead the entire game.
• SIUE's Gaby Nikitinaite answered with a three-pointer on the next possession, her team's first trey of the game, to bring UT's lead back to one, 37-36.
• The shots eventually started falling for the Midnight Blue and Gold; Toledo would end the third quarter on a 16-5 run, opening up a 48-38 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
• Wiard was terrific offensively in the third frame, scoring 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting while making both of her free throw attempts.

 
4^th Quarter

• SIUE's Allie Troeckler made both free throw attempts to open the quarter and trim the Toledo lead to single digits, 48-39.
• The Rockets' lead would grow to a game-high 14 points at one juncture, following a three-point play from freshman Jessica Cook and a pair of free throws from Mikonowicz that put UT up 64-50 with 1:25 to play.
• A last-second basket from SIUE put the margin of victory back into single-digits, but Toledo still came away with a 66-57 win.