Toledo Wins Sixth-Straight Game, Knocks Off ULM, 72-57

Saturday, February 10

Toledo, Ohio

Noon

University of Toledo

18-4,10-1MAC

ULM

15-9,7-5Sun Belt

ULM

Toledo

Sophia Wiard (foreground) and the Toledo bench celebrate a three-pointer in the Rockets' 72-57 win over ULM on Saturday.

Photo by: Bree Bee

Toledo Wins Sixth-Straight Game, Knocks Off ULM, 72-57

2/10/2024 2:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Rockets capture MAC-Sun Belt Challenge matchup to move to 18-4 on the season in their 37th win in the last 41 games in Savage Arena

TOLEDO, Ohio - Sammi Mikonowicz's 13 points led four players in double figures as Toledo defeated Louisiana-Monroe 72-57 in non-conference action at Savage Arena on Saturday. The contest was the second game in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge for the Rockets. Toledo won the first game at James Madison, 60-49, on Nov. 8.

The victory was the sixth straight for Toledo (18-4, 10-1 MAC), which has won 37 of its last 41 home games since the start of the 2020-21 season. ULM fell to 15-9.

Toledo had a balanced scoring attack, with six players putting up at least eight points. In addition to Mikonowicz, Sophia Wiard and Quinesha Lockett scored 12 points each, Khera Goss had 10, while Emmi Rinat and Hannah Noveroske each chipped in with eight.

"Balanced scoring has been a recipe for success for us," said Head Coach Tricia Cullop. "We flirted with having six players in double figures today. It was great to see Emmi Rinat knock down some shots for us early in the game, then late in the second half Sammi stuck some threes that really gave us a lift. I think our depth wore them down."

The contest was close in the first half with the Rockets holding a 32-28 lead at halftime. But Toledo dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Warhawks 24-13. ULM trimmed the lead to 63-52 with less than five minutes to play in the fourth quarter, but a three-pointer by Mikonowicz and a pair of free throws by Wiard gave Toledo a 16-point lead that would not be challenged.

Toledo held ULM to just 20-of-60 (33.3%) from the field and 7-of-23 (30.4%) from long range.

"I'm pleased we were able to hold them to seven three-pointers," said Cullop. "They're a difficult team to guard because of their explosiveness and creativity getting to the hole. I thought we did a better job in the second half of closing those gaps."

Toledo's next game is on Saturday at Bowling Green (6:00 p.m./ESPN+) in the latest edition of the Battle of I-75.

1^st Quarter

Toledo made four three-pointers, two by Emmi Rinat, to jump out to a 14-7 lead before settling on a 16-11 lead at the quarter break.
The Rockets only made 6-of-19 (31.6%) shots but held ULM to 4-of-13 (30.8%) and just 1-of-5 from long range.

2^nd Quarter

Neither team scored in the first three-and-a-half minutes of the second quarter until ULM went on a 10-4 run to take a 21-20 lead with 3:35 left in the half.
Jessica Cook finished off a 10-3 Rocket run with an inside bucket gave UT a 32-26 lead with under a minute to play.
ULM scored the final bucket of the half to trim the Toledo lead to 32-28 at halftime.
After starting out hot from long range, Toledo made just 1-of-8 from behind the arc in the second quarter.
The Rockets made just 12-of-34 (35.3%) from the field and 5-of-20 (25.0%) from three-point range in the first half but committed only three turnovers.
Rinat led the way for Toledo with eight first-half points.

3^rd Quarter

ULM's Briana Harris made consecutive baskets to give the Warhawks a 37-34 lead early in the quarter.
The rest of the quarter belonged to the Rockets as they outscored ULM 22-4 the rest of the period to take a 56-41 lead into the final quarter.
Khera Goss had seven points as Toledo shot 7-of-12 (58.3%) for the quarter

4^th Quarter

ULM cut the margin to 58-47 on a pair of baskets by Katlyn Manuel.
A three-pointer by Sammi Mikonowicz and a pair of free throws by Wiard gave Toledo a 68-52 lead with 2:37 left.