TOLEDO, Ohio – The University of Toledo women's basketball team will visit Miami on Wednesday, Feb. 9 in Mid-American Conference action. The Rockets (17-4, 11-1 MAC) and RedHawks (7-13, 3-8 MAC) will face off at Millett Hall at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN3.

Toledo is coming off a come-from-behind 73-70 win at Akron on Saturday.

The Rockets trailed the Zips by five at halftime, but battled back to take the lead early in the third quarter. Akron retook the lead late in the third period and held a four-point lead, 65-61, with 5:17 to go. Toledo then used a 7-0 run to turn a four-point deficit into a three-point lead with 2:24 to play. Despite constant pressure from the Zips, UT held on to complete the comeback and earn an impressive road win.

Hannah Noveroske tied a career-high with 19 points and grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds for her first double-double of her career. In the previous meeting with Akron she also scored 19 points while tallying nine boards. 

Sophia Wiard also had a double-double on Saturday, her second of the season, scoring 15 points and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds. She did the bulk of her damage at the free throw line, making 11-of-15 shots.

The victory strengthened Toledo's grip on first place in the MAC. The Rockets hold a two-game lead over Buffalo (9-3) in the conference standings and they are three games up on third-place Ball State (7-4) in the loss column.

Following Wednesday's game, Toledo will host arch-rival Bowling Green on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 2:00 p.m.

Saturday's iteration of the Battle of I-75 presented by Cooper Tire will be a Gold Out. Gold t-shirts will be handed out to the first 200 students, and fans can also purchase their shirts prior to game day. Shirts can be purchased for $10 and picked up at the game, or they can be purchased with a ticket for $17.50 prior to game day. For more information, please visit utrockets.com/goldrush. Saturday's game will also feature a special recognition of the 2011 WNIT Championship Team.

Last Time vs. Miami
Toledo and Miami played each other last Wednesday at Savage Arena in a game UT won, 74-64.

The Rockets shot 54.2 percent from the field, making 26-of-48 shots against the RedHawks, their second-highest field-goal percentage of the season. UT's offensive efficiency helped land five players in double figures, led by Quinesha Lockett and her 18 points.

In addition to Lockett, four other Rockets scored in double digits. Jayda Jansen and Sophia Wiard scored 12 points apiece, Sammi Mikonowicz added 11 points, and Jessica Cook scored 10. Wiard also collected a game-high seven assists and Mikonowicz led all players with 10 rebounds, her third double-double of the season.

Miami was led by Ivy Wolf and her game-high 20 points. Peyton Scott (17 points) and Edyn Battle (14 points) both scored in double figures for the RedHawks as well.

Rocket Notes

• Toledo has had a MAC-high six different players record a double-double this season: Quinesha Lockett (4), Jessica Cook (3), Sammi Mikonowicz (2), Sophia Wiard (2), Nan Garcia (1), and Hannah Noveroske (1).
• A Rocket has recorded a double-double in each of the last five games: Noveroske and Wiard both had one at Akron, Mikonowicz had one against Miami, Cook had one against BGSU on Saturday, Mikonowicz had one against Ohio, and Lockett had one against Buffalo.
• As it has for nearly the entire season, Toledo leads the MAC in scoring defense (60.05) and field goal percentage defense (36.0%). UT has held opponents to a field goal percentage of 35% or lower in 10 contests this season.
• At Akron on Saturday, the Rockets outrebounded the Zips 49-28, its largest rebounding margin since Nov. 5, 2019 against Georgia State (47-22, +25).
• Hannah Noveroske hopes to see Akron again soon. In two games against the Zips, she is averaging 19.0 PPG and 9.5 RPG and shooting 68.0% (17-for-25) from the field.
• In MAC play, opponents are averaging just 61.3 PPG and are shooting just 36.2% from the field against Toledo, the latter of which ranks first in the conference.
• Offensively, the Rockets have cracked 70 points in eight of the last nine games. UT reached the 70-point benchmark five times in the first 12 games of the season.
• The last time these two teams met, UT shot 54.2% from the floor against Miami, the third time this season it has shot at least 50% (57.1% vs. St. Francis, 50% vs. Loyola).
• 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 Saturday, Feb. 12 against Bowling Green.
• The Rockets are shooting 74.3% from the free throw line in MAC play this year. They have shot over 80% from the line in a game five times in conference play.
• Individually, Sophia Wiard (83.3%) and Quinesha Lockett (80.9%) are shooting above 80% from the line in conference play.
• Wiard made 11-of-15 free throws at Akron on Saturday, the most free throw attempts by a Rocket since Janice Monakana had 15 attempts in a game against Buffalo on Feb. 1, 2017. Wiard is the first Rocket since Nakiah Black (10 vs. Kent State on Feb. 1, 2020) to make at least 10 free throws in a game.
• Five Rockets are averaging at least five rebounds per game in MAC play: Sammi Mikonowicz (7.7), Quinesha Lockett (6.7), Jessica Cook (6.2), Hannah Noveroske (5.8), and Sophia Wiard (5.3).
• Sammi Mikonowicz and Jessica Cook have formed quite the 1-2 tandem inside as of late. Over the last seven contests, Mikonowicz is averaging 10.7 PPG and 8.9 RPG and Cook is averaging 10.7 PPG and 7.4 RPG. The two have combined for three double-doubles during that time span as well.
• Hannah Noveroske has had multiple blocks seven times during conference play and leads the MAC in that category, averaging 1.37 BPG.

About Miami
Miami enters Wednesday's game having lost six of its last seven games. The RedHawks will be playing on short rest, having just visited Kent State on Monday in a game the Golden Flashes won 83-61. Miami ranks in the bottom third of the league in both scoring offense (67.20) and scoring defense (69.75) but boasts one of the best scorers in the MAC in Peyton Scott. She is averaging 18.75 PPG this season, fifth-best in the conference.