DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Toledo women's basketball team nearly completed a double-digit comeback against Penn State at the Daytona Beach Invitational on Friday, but lost 60-59 to the Nittany Lions in a hard-fought thriller.
 
The Rockets (3-2) trailed for much of the game but found their footing in the fourth quarter to take a 59-58 lead with just seven seconds remaining. After a shooting foul was called with just 0.9 seconds on the clock, Penn State's Leilani Kapinus made both free throws to put the score at 60-59. Toledo's final shot came up just short as the final horn sounded.
 
"We will look back at this game and kick ourselves for the missed free throws and short shots," head coach Tricia Cullop said. "But I'm so proud of our effort to compete wire-to-wire and have a chance to win late versus a Big Ten opponent. I love the potential of our team, and all of these tough tests will pay off down the road as we are learning what we need to work on."
 
Seniors Quinesha Lockett and Sophia Wiard led Toledo with 15 points apiece, and juniors Khera Goss and Sammi Mikonowicz both tallied eight points. Seven of Wiard's points came in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead free throws with seven seconds remaining. Mikonowicz and Wiard both tied for the team lead with eight rebounds, while Lockett was close behind with seven boards.
 
Penn State (6-0) had three players reach double figures, with freshman Shay Ciezki scoring a game-high 16 points. Senior Makenna Marisa and senior Chanaya Pinto poured in 14 and 13 points, respectively, while senior Johnasia Cash grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
 
Toledo concludes its stay in Daytona Beach on Saturday against UT Arlington. The Rockets and Mavericks will battle at 1:15 p.m. on FloHoops.
 
1^st Quarter

• The Nittany Lions took control early, jumping out to an 11-3 lead to open the game.
• Penn State's lead grew to 10 points at the 1:13 mark after back-to-back baskets.
• Toledo was able to halve its deficit before the end of the quarter. Cook's basket with 59 seconds to play made it an eight-point game, and Lockett's and-one at the buzzer put the score at 18-13.

 
2^nd Quarter

• Penn State opened the quarter with a basket, but the Rockets responded with six straight points to make it a one-point game, 20-19.
• Following a four-minute scoring drought, the Nittany Lions responded with a 7-2 run to ramp their lead back up to six, 27-21, with 3:44 to go in the half.
• Neither team scored in the final 2:36 of the quarter and the Rockets went into halftime trailing by just four, 29-25.

 
3^rd Quarter

• Penn State regained its shooting stroke in the first half of the third quarter, quickly using an 11-2 run to take a 40-27 lead, its largest of the game.
• The second half of the quarter was all Rockets, as they outscored the Nittany Lions 10-2 to bring the score to 42-37 heading into the fourth.

 
4^th Quarter

• After a Penn State basket to open the fourth quarter, Toledo scored six straight points to trim its deficit to one, 44-43, the smallest margin since early in the second quarter.
• The Nittany Lions rebuilt a six-point lead, but UT did not back down. A quick 5-0 run with less than four minutes to play tied the score at 51-51, with senior Justina King's two free throws providing the tying points.
• Penn State again took a five-point lead, 57-52, but a three-pointer by Mikonowicz with 1:05 to play cut the Rockets' deficit to just two, 57-55.
• With the score sitting at 58-55 in favor of the Nittany Lions, Lockett's near three-point play made it 58-57 with 30 seconds left, though her free throw didn't fall.
• The Rockets' offensive rebound after the missed free throw gave them the ball with a chance to take the lead, and that's exactly what they did. Wiard was fouled going to the hoop and knocked down both free throws to put the score at 59-58 with seven seconds remaining.
• The game ended at the free-throw line, as Penn State's Kapinus drew a foul with 0.9 seconds left and made both free throws to make it 60-59.