TOLEDO, Ohio – The University of Toledo women's basketball team visits arch-rival Bowling Green on Saturday, Jan. 29 for a 1:00 p.m. contest inside the Stroh Center. Saturday's game will be streamed live on ESPN3.

The Rockets will be looking to bounce back after suffering their first conference loss of the season on Wednesday at home, a 79-72 setback against Ohio. Toledo (14-4, 8-1 MAC) led by as many as nine late in the third quarter, but saw its offensive well run dry against a hot-shooting Ohio team (11-5, 5-2 MAC) in the fourth quarter. UT made just 5-of-20 shots in the final frame while the Bobcats shot 81.8 percent (9-of-11).

Sophomore Sammi Mikonowicz had a historic night against the Bobcats, tying a single-game record with 22 rebounds. Mikonowicz and Liz Meiring now share the program's single-game rebound record, with the latter achieving that feat against Kent State on Jan. 8, 1985. The Rossford, Ohio native is one of nine players in the nation this season with at least 22 rebounds in a game.

Despite the loss on Wednesday, Toledo still sits in first place in the MAC with a record of 8-1, with Ohio (5-2) and Western Michigan (4-2) occupying second and third place, respectively.

The Rockets rank 17^th in the latest edition of CollegeInsider.com's Mid-Major Poll. They are one of two MAC teams in the Top 25, two spots ahead of No. 19 Buffalo.

Following Saturday's game, the Rockets will host Miami on Wednesday, Feb. 2 at 7:00 p.m. After the contest against the RedHawks, UT will play three of the next four games on the road.
 
Rocket Notes

• Defense has been a strength for the Rockets this season, as they have led the MAC in scoring defense (58.89) and field goal percentage defense (35.3%) for much of the season. UT ranks 23^rd in the nation in field goal percentage defense, and opposing teams have shot above 40% from the field just twice.
• In MAC play, opponents are averaging just 59.3 PPG and are shooting just 34.8% from the field against Toledo. UT ranks first in the MAC in field goal percentage defense and second in scoring defense in league play.
• Offensively, the Rockets have cracked 70 points in five of the last six games. UT reached the 70-point benchmark five times in the first 12 games of the season.
• The Rockets are shooting 75.5% from the free throw line in MAC play this year. They have shot over 80% from the line in a game four times in conference play.
• Five Rockets have notched double-doubles this season: Quinesha Lockett (4), Jessica Cook (2), Nan Garcia (1), Sammi Mikonowicz, and Sophia Wiard (1).
• Since reclaiming her spot in the starting lineup, Jessica Cook is averaging 12.7 PPG and 7.0 RPG.
• Cook crashes the offensive boards as well as anybody; the freshman is averaging 3.25 ORPG and tied a season-high with eight offensive boards against Ohio on Wednesday.
• Perennially among the national leaders in attendance, Toledo is right back near the top of Division I in 2021-22. UT is averaging 3,419 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, Feb. 2 against Miami.
• The Rockets opened conference play 8-0 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.
• Toledo's eight-game winning streak was 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 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.

 
About Bowling Green
Bowling Green enters Saturday's game with an overall record of 9-7 and a 4-3  ledger in conference play. The Falcons have won two straight games, including an impressive 67-51 win over Western Michigan on Wednesday evening. One of the top scoring teams in the MAC, BGSU ranks third in scoring offense (74.06 PPG) and boasts three players averaging double figures in scoring: Kadie Hempfling (11.6 PPG), Morgan Sharps (10.7 PPG), and Elissa Brett (10.3 PPG). Bowling Green is one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, averaging a MAC-best 37.3 percent from beyond the arc, a figure that ranks 11^th in the nation.