CLEVELAND, Ohio – Junior guards Sophia Wiard and Quinesha Lockett scored 19 points each to lead No. 1 seed Toledo to an 80-67 victory over No. 8 seed Ohio in quarterfinal action of the MAC Women's Basketball Tournament at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland on Wednesday.
 
Wiard was one rebound shy of a triple double, adding 10 assists and nine rebounds in 40 minutes of play. Lockett scored 10 of her 19 points in the final 10 minutes to help the Rockets seal the victory in what had been a close contest through three quarters.
 
Sophomore forward Sammi Mikonowicz added 11 points and nine rebounds, while sophomore guard Khera Goss chipped in with 10 points. Toledo made 29-of-60 shots from the field (48.3%) and outrebounded the Bobcats, 46-37.
 
Toledo (26-4) held a 34-32 halftime lead and led Ohio (15-14) by just five points headed into the fourth quarter. The Rockets outscored the Bobcats 22-14 in the fourth quarter to advance to the semifinals. Toledo will play No. 5 Ball State on Friday at 10:00 a.m. after the Cardinals beat No. 4 Northern Illinois 60-54 on Wednesday.
 
Head Coach Tricia Cullop said she was relieved to get past Ohio, the only MAC team to defeat Toledo in the regular season,
 
"I thought going into this game that Ohio was the best eight-seed in the country," said Cullop, who was named MAC Coach of the Year yesterday. "We knew it was going to be extremely tough. I'm very, very  proud of our kids. I thought Sophia Wiard put together one of the best performances of her career in a Toledo uniform. And when Quinesha Lockett was in foul trouble I thought Khera Goss played exceptionally well. Quinesha in the final quarter was just tremendous and helped us put the game away."
 
       
1^st Quarter

• Ohio's Erica Johnson scored eight points, including a pair of three-pointers, as the Bobcats jumped out to a 10-8 lead going into the first media timeout at the 4:56 mark.
• Toledo closed out the quarter with a 10-5 run and held an 18-17 edge at the end of the first 10 minutes.
• The Rockets held Ohio to 5-of-16 (31.3%) shooting in the first quarter but made just 1-of-6 three-pointers.

 
2^nd Quarter

• A Sophia Wiard three-pointer at the 7:15 mark gave Toledo a 27-23 lead, the largest margin for either team in the second quarter.
• The teams traded baskets for most of the quarter. Jayda Jansen's 16-foot jumper with 35 seconds left gave the Rockets a 34-32 edge heading into halftime.
• Toledo shot 44.1 percent from the floor in the first half while holding Ohio to 34.4 percent. The Bobcats stayed in the game by making 6-of-8 shots from the free throw line.
• Wiard led the Rockets with 11 first-half points along with six rebounds and three assists.

 
3^rd Quarter

• The Rockets opened up a 47-42 lead thanks to consecutive three-pointers by Sammi Mikonowicz and Khera Goss heading into the media timeout at the 3:58 mark.
• A Jansen three-pointer at the 1:48 mark capped a 16-7 Toledo run and extended the Rockets' lead to 56-47.
• A three-pointer by Ohio's Gabby Burris with 10 seconds left cut Toledo's lead to 58-53 at the break.

 
4^th Quarter

•  Ohio cut the lead to four points, 63-59, on a three-point play by Cierra Hooks at the 7:03 mark.
• Toledo's defense held Ohio scoreless for the next four minutes while Quinesha Lockett scored four points in 6-0 Toledo run that increased its lead to 69-59 with 3:11 left.
• Ohio could get no closer than eight points the rest of the way.

 
Head coach Tricia Cullop, junior Quinesha Lockett, junior Sophia Wiard postgame interview.