Rockets Host Ohio on Wednesday at Savage Arena

Wednesday, January 26

Toledo, Ohio

7:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

Ohio

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Toledo hosts Ohio on Wednesday evening with a chance to push its winning streak to nine games.

Photo by: Ross Achter

1/25/2022 4:04:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Game Notes (PDF)

TOLEDO, Ohio – The first-place Toledo women's basketball team welcomes Ohio to Savage Arena on Wednesday night. The battle between the Rockets (14-3, 8-0 MAC) and Bobcats (10-5, 4-2 MAC) wil tip off at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN3.

Wednesday's game will also be Nurse Appreciation Night, with half-price tickets ($7.50) available to faculty and staff from the University of Toledo College of Nursing, as well as the local nursing community.

One of the Rockets' own will also be recognized at the game; junior center Hannah Noveroske, a nursing major, will receive her white coat at halftime. The BSN White Coat Ceremony for all UToledo nursing students will be held that evening at 6:00 p.m. Since Noveroske will be suiting up for the Midnight Blue & Gold during the official ceremony, the College of Nursing will have a special halftime presentation for her on the court.

The Rockets are coming off a 75-66 statement win over Buffalo, a battle of the final two unbeaten teams in the MAC. The Rockets led nearly the whole way against the Bulls to claim outright possession of first place. Buffalo cut the Rocket lead to three points late in the game but Toledo iced the victory with a 7-0 run to take a 72-62 lead with 1:38 left to play.

Four out of five Rocket starters reached double digits in the points column on Saturday. Quinesha Lockett and Sammi Mikonowicz both scored a team-high 17 points. Lockett also had 10 rebounds on the afternoon to post a double-double, her fourth of the season, and contributed a career-high seven assists. Jessica Cook posted 10 points and Sophia Wiard had 15 shooting an efficient 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Cook scored eight of her 10 points in the fourth quarter.

Toledo has now won eight games in a row, its longest winning streak since the 2016-17 season when the team also won eight straight games. That year's winning streak included a romp through the MAC Tournament, ending in an 82-71 win over NIU in the title game.

Toledo leads the MAC in scoring defense (57.71) and field goal percentage defense (34.7%). UT ranks 13th in the nation in field goal percentage defense, and opposing teams have shot above 40% from the field just once.

Next up for Toledo is a matchup with Bowling Green on Saturday, Jan. 29. The Battle of I-75 resumes at the Stroh Center that day at 1:00 p.m.

Rocket Notes

The Rockets are off to an 8-0 start in conference play for the first time since the 1998-99 season, when the team also won its first eight conference games. The program record for most wins to begin MAC play is 11, which was achieved by the 1993-94 team.
Over the Rockets' last eight games, they are outscoring opponents by an average of 12.3 PPG and holding opposing teams to a cumulative 33.5 FG% and 29.1% from beyond the arc.
Only four teams across the country are undefeated in conference play and have at least eight league wins: Toledo (8-0), New Mexico (8-0, MWC), South Dakota State (9-0, Summit), and No. 3 NC State (9-0, ACC).
Toledo's eight-game winning streak is tied for the longest since the 2016-17 season, when the team won eight games in a row. That streak culminated in a 82-71 victory over NIU in the MAC Tournament Championship Game. The longest winning streak prior to that was a 15-game streak during the 2012-13 season.
Toledo has won its first seven home games of the 2021-22 season, its best start at home since winning the first nine home contests of the 2017-18 campaign.
Defense has been a strength for the Rockets this season, as they have led the MAC in scoring defense (57.71) and field goal percentage defense (34.7%) for much of the season. UT ranks 13^th in the nation in field goal percentage defense, and opposing teams have shot above 40% from the field just once.
In MAC play, opponents are averaging just 56.9 PPG and are shooting just 33.5% from the field against Toledo.
Perennially among the national leaders in attendance, Toledo is right back near the top of Division I in 2021-22. UT is averaging 3,442 fans per game in three home games this year, which ranks 24th in the nation in average attendance. Toledo's next home game is Wednesday, Jan. 26 against Ohio.
Hannah Noveroske has had multiple blocks in six of the last eight games and now leads the MAC in that category, averaging 1.5 BPG.
Sophia Wiard led the MAC in assist/turnover ratio last season and is leading the league again this season (2.38).
Quinesha Lockett sits ninth in the MAC in scoring (17.7 PPG). Lockett has scored in double figures in 15 of 17 games this season and has cracked 20 points eight times. She is one of four players in the MAC to have at least eight 20-point performances.
Over her last six game, Khera Goss is averaging 9.7 PPG and shooting 50% (20-for-40) from the field. She has cracked double figures in scoring four times in the last six games.

About Ohio
Ohio will enter Wednesday's game on short rest, having played at home against Buffalo on Monday night and against Bowling Green on Saturday night. The Bobcats sit in fourth place in the MAC standings, and have won four of five contests heading into their game against the Rockets. OU is led by standout senior guard Cece Hooks, who recently became the MAC's all-time leading scorer in the game against BGSU after becoming Ohio's career scoring leader just a week prior. Hooks is averaging 22.73 PPG, tops in the MAC and sixth in the nation.