KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Toledo women's basketball head coach Tricia Cullop recorded her 400^th career victory on Saturday in the Rockets' 76-67 win at Western Michigan.
 
"I'm really lucky," Cullop said. "I'm lucky to have a job that I love and to coach people that are so unbelievably fun to coach. This team's chemistry and our staff's chemistry has been so fun to see this year. This is one of the best teams and best staffs I've had, and I just want to enjoy this as long as I can. But this also makes me reflect on all the great players I've coached. As a coach, you don't do it by yourself, and I have been so fortunate to have so many great players in my career and so many that have really excelled in this program."
 

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An incredible achievement for an incredible coach!

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— Toledo Women's Basketball (@ToledoWBB) January 8, 2022

With the win, Toledo (10-3, 4-0 MAC) remains unbeaten in Mid-American Conference play and is off to its best start since 2016-17, when the team also opened the year 10-3.
 
The Rockets led for much of the game, only trailing after the Broncos (8-4, 2-1 MAC) wrestled away control near the midway point of the third quarter. Toledo's deficit didn't last long, as a quick 7-0 UT run put them ahead for good.
 
Junior Sophia Wiard led the way offensively, scoring a season-high 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting while contributing seven rebounds and six assists. Senior Jayda Jansen added 12 points, her most as a Rocket, and she was 3-for-4 from long range as well. Sophomore Khera Goss contributed 11 points and four rebounds to help the cause.
 
In her third straight start, junior Hannah Noveroske scored seven points and pulled down six rebounds, while sophomores Yaniah Curry and Sammi Mikonowicz both grabbed five boards.
 
As a team, Toledo outrebounded Western Michigan 41-28. UT had an advantage shooting the ball as well, making 46.9 percent of its shots (23-for-49) compared to WMU's 36.4 field goal percentage (24-for-66). The Rockets shot well from beyond the arc, making 10-of-20 three-point shots.
 
"We knew this was going to be a difficult game, Western Michigan is a very talented team and is very well-coached," Cullop said. "This is a tough environment to play in. I'm really proud of our players, I thought Sophia Wiard and Jayda Jansen really stepped up today. We did get into as deep of foul trouble as we've been in all season, but our depth was unbelievable. I thought every player that came in today did what they needed to do for us to get this victory."
 
The Broncos were led by sophomore guard Lauren Ross, who scored 22 points on 8-of-20 shooting and grabbed six rebounds.
 
The Rockets will look to stay hot at home on Wednesday, Jan. 12 against Central Michigan.
 
1^st Quarter

• The Rockets opened up an early 9-2 lead in the first quarter. Wiard opened up the scoring with a three-pointer, then UT scored three of the next four baskets to take a seven-point advantage.
• WMU held Toledo without a field goal for the final 3:41 of the first quarter and was able to pull within a point, 16-15, with 2:15 to go.
• Noveroske made one of her two free throw attempts at 1:26 to put the score at 17-15, which would hold through the end of the quarter.

 
2^nd Quarter

• The Rockets' lead was pushed to five points on Jansen's three-pointer to open the second quarter.
• Toledo never trailed at any point in the first half, but Western Michigan did bring the score to a 26-26 tie at the 4:25 mark of the second quarter after back-to-back threes from Lauren Ross and Taylor Williams.
• In her first offensive possession of the game, senior Mariah Copeland knocked down a three-pointer to make the score 38-31 in favor of the Midnight Blue and Gold.
• WMU's Reilly Jacobson scored two quick baskets in the final 75 seconds of the first half to close the deficit a bit. Entering the locker rooms at halftime, Toledo held a 38-35 advantage.

 
3rd Quarter

• Western Michigan's Lauren Ross opened the scoring in the second half with a three-pointer, but Jansen answered right back with a trey on the Rockets' next possession.
• Wiard's jumper put UT ahead by five, 43-38, but the Broncos connected on their next three shots to take their first lead of the game, 44-43, with 6:38 to go in the quarter.
• That would be the only time Toledo trailed in Saturday's game. Jansen made one of her two free throws at 6:12 to tie the game at 44-44, then she and Wiard drilled back-to-back threes to give UT a 50-44 lead.

 
4^th Quarter

• The fourth quarter started with a 6-1 Toledo run thanks to treys from Goss and Mikonowicz that opened up a double-digit lead over WMU, 59-48.
• The Rockets' lead grew to as large as 13 points, 67-54, with 3:30 to play.
• The Broncos got as close as seven a couple times before the end of the game, but could not get any closer.
• Toledo's free throw shooting helped ice the game, converting 13-of-14 freebies in the final quarter. Wiard made all six of her free throw attempts in the fourth frame.