Rockets Wrap Up Non-Conference Slate at Missouri State

Tuesday, December 21

Springfield, Mo.

11:00 a.m. CT

University of Toledo

Missouri State

Toledo visits Missouri State on Tuesday, Dec. 21 in its final non-conference game of the regular season.

Photo by: Ross Achter

Rockets Wrap Up Non-Conference Slate at Missouri State

12/20/2021 1:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Game Notes (PDF)

TOLEDO, Ohio – The University of Toledo women's basketball team will face Missouri State on Tuesday, Dec. 21, its final non-conference game of the regular season. Tipoff is set for 11:00 a.m. CT/Noon ET on ESPN+.

The Rockets (6-2) enter the game riding a three-game winning streak, most recently defeating SIU-Edwardsville, 66-57, on Sunday evening.

Toledo trailed the Cougars 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.

Sophia Wiard scored a game-high 20 points, making 8-of-13 shots from the floor, and pulled down eight rebounds. Quinesha Lockett (15 points) and Khera Goss (10 points) both reached double figures in scoring as well. Sammi Mikonowicz nearly tallied a double-double, collecting a game-high 10 rebounds and scoring eight points.

The Rockets lead the MAC in scoring defense (58.25 PPG) and field goal percentage defense (36.2%), having allowed fewer than 60 points in five on their eight games this season.

Following Tuesday's game, the Rockets will have eight days until they hit the court again. Toledo's next game will be Wednesday, Dec. 29 at 7:00 p.m., its first Mid-American Conference game of the season.

Rocket Notes

Junior Quinesha Lockett ranks third in the MAC in scoring (20.9 PPG) and has 925 career points, putting her 75 points away from becoming the 31^st player in program history with 1,000 career points.
Lockett has scored in double figures in all eight games this season and has cracked 20 points five times.
Head Coach Tricia Cullop has won 396 games in her head coaching career, putting her just four victories away from 400.
Toledo is off to a 6-2 start this season, making it four out of the last five years that UT has held a 6-2 record through its first eight games.
Perennially among the national leaders in attendance, Toledo is right back near the top of Division I in 2021-22. UT is averaging 3,619 fans per game in three home games this year, which ranks 22^nd in the nation in average attendance.
The Rockets lead the MAC in scoring defense (58.25) and field goal percentage defense (36.2%) and ranks second in scoring margin (+15.00).
UT registered a season-best 11 steals in the win over SIUE on Sunday.
Toledo has eclipsed 50% shooting in three of its last five games. UT shot 50.0% against Loyola (Md.), 57.1% against St. Francis, and 51.8% from the field in the win over Idaho State. The performance against the Bengals was the first time UT eclipsed 50% shooting since a game at Buffalo on Feb. 8, 2020 (55.8%).
Few players stuff the stat sheet like Sophia Wiard. She has six games with at least 10 points, six games with at least seven rebounds, and five games with at least five assists.
Wiard led the MAC in assist/turnover ratio last season and sits second the league this season (2.85) and ranks 19^th in the country.
One more Wiard note: she crashes the boards as well as anybody in the MAC; she currently leads the league in defensive rebounds per game (6.75).
Four Rockets have notched double-doubles this season: Jessica Cook (2), Quinesha Lockett (1), Nan Garcia (1), and Sophia Wiard (1).

About Missouri State
The Bears (8-2) have won four games in a row and rank 20^th in the latest edition of the NCAA's NET Rankings, second among non-Power Five schools. Missouri State has wins over No. 24 Virginia Tech, USC, and Missouri. Jasmine Franklin (15.4 PPG) and Sydney Wilson (11.8 PPG) lead the way offensively for Missouri State, and Franklin is one of the best shot blockers around, ranking 17^th in the country (2.50 BPG).