MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The University of Toledo women's basketball team took an early lead against Central Michigan on Wednesday and fended off a late Chippewa run to win 72-67 at McGuirk Arena.

Freshman Sammi Mikonowicz scored 15 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter to help Toledo seal the deal. Sophomore Sophia Wiard added 15 points and four assists, while classmate Quinesha Lockett contributed 12 points, five rebounds, and three steals.

The Rockets grabbed control of the game early, taking a 22-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. But CMU slowly chipped away at its deficit, whittling it down to nine at halftime and to just one, 51-50, through three quarters. Central Michigan briefly took the lead in the fourth quarter, but Toledo recovered and held on for win. The victory moves the Rockets to 10-11 overall and 6-11 in Mid-American Conference play. CMU is now 13-8 overall and 11-6 in league play.

"I'm proud of this team for the way they played tonight," head coach Tricia Cullop said. "I'm so happy for our players because we've experienced some heartache in the final minutes of our last few games. They were given the chance to earn a victory today and that's exactly what they did. We'll enjoy this one tonight before we have to get up tomorrow and get ready for our next game."


The Rockets started the game shooting 52.9 percent from the field in the first quarter and ended it by shooting 50 percent in the fourth quarter.

Central Michigan was led offensive by Molly Davis and Micaela Kelly, who both scored 21 points. Jahari Smith grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds.


First Quarter

• The Rockets scored the first seven points of the game then, after a CMU three, freshman Khera Goss scored two straight baskets to put her team up eight to jump out to an 11-3 lead.
• Toledo ended the quarter on an 11-2 run, capped by two buckets from Halle Idowu in the final minute, to make the score 22-7 heading into the second quarter.
• The Rockets held the Chippewas to just seven points in the quarter and shot 52.9 percent from the field compared to CMU's paltry 18.2 percent.

 
Second Quarter

• Both teams started the second quarter hot from beyond the arc. Sophia Wiard and CMU's Molly Davis traded threes early on, but Toledo still held an advantage, 28-17, with 7:33 to go in the first half.
• The Rockets' bench carried the scoring for the remainder of the quarter, with sophomore Soleil Barnes (four points) and sophomore Jaela Johnson (two) accounting for the remainder of Toledo's points.
• Davis led all players with 10 points in the second quarter to help her team cut its deficit to nine, 35-26, heading into halftime.

 
Third Quarter

• The third quarter started with a 10-4 CMU run that cut the Toledo lead to three, 39-36.
• With the score tied at 45-45, Mali Morgan-Elliott knocked down a three to put the Rockets ahead, 48-45, with 1:30 to go in the third stanza.
• The Chippewas were carried by Micaela Kelly in the third quarter. She poured in 12 of Central Michigan's 24 points to help trim the Toledo lead to one, 51-50, heading into the fourth quarter.

 
Fourth Quarter

• CMU started the quarter off with a three-point play and followed that up with a trey from Kelly to take a 56-55 lead, its first lead of the game with 8:42 to go in the contest.
• The Chippewas' lead did not last long. Free throws from Mikonowicz and Lockett put Toledo ahead by one, 57-56, at the 7:21 mark of the fourth quarter.
• Mikonowicz made a couple nice plays under the basket that led to points for the Rockets. Her second bucket of the quarter put UT ahead, 61-56, with 5:31 left in the game.
• Central Michigan made it a one-score game with 1:30 to play on a three from Davis, but on the next UT possession Lockett drove to the hoop for two to put Toledo up by five.
• With 18 seconds to go, Maddy Watters hit a three to once again trim the Rockets' lead to three, 70-67, but Wiard made two clutch free throws to ice the game and hand Toledo the victory.

 
Next Up
Toledo will host Ball State this Saturday, Feb. 27 at Noon in its annual "Rockets for the Cure" game.