ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Sammi Mikonowicz scored a career-high 27 points to lead the Toledo women's basketball team to a 58-51 victory against Navy in the Navy Thanksgiving Classic at the United States Naval Academy on Saturday.
 
The Rockets (4-1) finished off a wire-to-wire victory for their third-straight win, building a double-digit lead in the first quarter and fending off several comeback attempts, sending Navy (6-1) to its first defeat.
 
Mikonowicz dazzled by making 10-of-12 from the field, including the first nine points of the contest. She added 10 rebounds to record her first double-double of the season and 15th of her career. Graduate student Hannah Noveroske chipped in 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting and classmate Khera Goss added eight points, all in the second half.
 
The Rockets totaled 59 rebounds as a team for a +21 rebounding margin, let by graduate student Nan Garcia with 11, one shy of her career high, and a career-high nine caroms from Cadence Dykstra. All told, 10 different Rockets collected a least one rebound on the day. Goss and sophomores Kendall Carruthers and Ella Weaver each led Toledo with two assists on the day.
 
The Rockets held Navy to just 28.0% (21-for-75) from the field, the lowest shooting percentage for a Rocket opponent since Feb. 21, 2024 against Miami (25.5%).

First Quarter – Toledo 13, Navy 2

• Sammi Mikonowicz scored the first seven points of the game to force a Navy timeout at the 6:51 mark, followed by another bucket to extend the lead to 9-0.
• After a long scoring drought from both teams, Hannah Noveroske put the Rockets back up nine at 11-2 later in the quarter.
• The two points allowed market Toledo's first single-digit defensive quarter of the season.

Second Quarter – Toledo 24, Navy 17

• Up 17-10, Toledo scored five-straight points to restore its double-digit advantage at 22-10.
• The Midshipmen scored the final five points of the period, banking in a three to close the scoring.
• Noveroske supplied six of the Rockets' 11 points in the period.

Third Quarter – Toledo 36, Navy 31

• The Rockets pushed the lead to nine in the early going with back-to-back bucket by Khera Goss and Mikonowicz.
• Later in the quarter, the Rockets established a 10-point lead at the 3:04 mark on a putback layup by Noveroske.
• The Midshipmen went on a 7-0 run over 50 seconds to cut their deficit to 34-31, before a Mikonowicz jumper ended the spurt.

Fourth Quarter – Toledo 58, Navy 51

• Khera Goss opened the quarter with five consecutive points to put the Rockets up 41-31.
• Navy responded with an 8-0 run over 1:07 to pull to within 41-39 with 7:27 to play.
• Mikonowicz and Nan Garcia drained back-to-back threes to push the Rockets' lead to eight, 47-39 at the 6:09 mark.
• Down 55-46, Navy scored five-straight points to pull within four with 59.8 seconds left to play.
• The Rockets finished off the game with three free throws to pull away.

Game Notes

• Toledo's 59 rebounds were the most in a game since March 1, 2017, when the Rockets pulled in 65 against Northern Illinois.
• The Rockets' two points allowed in the first quarter tied the program record for fewest points allowed in a quarter, as Toledo also allowed two in the second quarter against Iona on Nov. 11, 2018 and in the second quarter against Akron on March 6, 2017.
• The 17 points allowed in the first half was Toledo's fewest allowed in a half since giving up 15 to Eastern Michigan in the second half on March 6, 2024.

UP NEXT
Toledo will finish its weekend at the Navy Classic with a matchup against No. 10 Maryland on Sunday, Dec. 1. Tipoff will be at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+.