TOLEDO, Ohio – Senior guard Sophia Wiard led a balanced attack with 16 points as the Toledo women's basketball team cruised to a 68-36 victory over Miami in Savage Arena on Wednesday.
 
The victory was the eighth consecutive for Toledo (20-4, 12-1 MAC) and sets up a first-place MAC showdown with Ball State (23-3, 12-1 MAC) on Saturday in Savage Arena.
 
"I'm really proud of the way we played defensively," said Head Coach Tricia Cullop, whose team won its 20^th-consecutive MAC home game. "I thought once again our defense did a tremendous job. We forced 23 turnovers, we were plus-seven on the boards and we got 19 points off turnovers. I think we could have shot it better. We missed some layups and outside shots that we normally hit. But I was proud of the fact that we shot it well from the free throw line when they were fouling us at the end."
 
The Rockets started out slowly before taking charge with an 18-4 second quarter that gave them a 32-16 halftime margin. Toledo then opened the second half on a 9-0 run that effectively ended the evening early for the visitors. The Rockets led by as many as 34 points before settling on the final 32-point margin.
 
Toledo shot 36.5% (23-of-63) from the field while holding Miami (7-17, 4-9 MAC) to just 13-of-51 (25.5%). The Rockets forced 23 turnovers and outrebounded the RedHawks, 44-37. Joining Wiard in double figures were senior guards Quinesha Lockett (13 points, eight rebounds) and Khera Goss (10 points). A season-high total of 12 Rockets reached the scoring column.
 
Toledo will attempt to win its ninth straight game on Saturday, Feb. 24 when it hosts Ball State (2:00 p.m./ESPN+) in its annual "Rockets for the Cure" game. Fans can purchase tickets for $12 apiece with $5 of each sale donated to the Susan G. Komen and Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center at utrockets.com/RFC.
           
1^st Quarter

•  Miami jumped out to a 10-5 lead heading into the first media timeout with 4:21 left in the quarter.
• A go-ahead layup in the final seconds by Jessica Cook capped a 9-2 Toledo run, giving the Rockets a 14-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.

2^nd Quarter

•  A three-pointer from Nan Garcia capped a 5-0 run and forced a timeout by Miami less than a minute into the quarter, giving the Rockets a 19-12 lead with 9:03 remaining.
• Toledo added seven more unanswered points giving the Rockets a 13-0 run and a 27-12 lead.
• Toledo ended up outscoring Miami 18-4 in the second quarter, holding the RedHawks to just 2-of-13 (15.4%) from the field.
• The Rockets shot just 11-of-35 (35.5%) from the floor in the first half but forced 13 Miami turnovers.
• Seven Rockets scored in the first half, led by Quinesha Lockett's eight points.

3^rd Quarter

• A layup by Nan Garcia capped a 9-0 run to open the second half, giving Toledo a 41-16 lead with 6:41 left.
• Miami could only cut the lead to 23 points as Toledo carried a 49-23 lead into the final quarter.

4^th Quarter

• A jumper in the paint by Sophia Wiard extended the lead for the Rockets to 59-28 with 5:30 to go in the game.
• Toledo's largest lead was 34 points late in the game.

NOTES

• Toledo hit the 20-win mark for the third consecutive season and the ninth time under Head Coach Tricia Cullop.
• Toledo defeated Miami for the sixth consecutive time and leads the all-time series 44-31.
• Toledo is now 78-15 (47-4 MAC) over the past three seasons, including 38-4 at Savage Arena (24-1 MAC).
• The Rockets have now won 20 consecutive MAC home games.
•  Wiard's 16 points gives her 1,584 for her career, moving her into ninth place on Toledo's all-time list just ahead of Kaayla McIntyre (1,572 from 2015-19).
• Miami's 36 points is the third-fewest Toledo has allowed this season. The Rockets held Loyola Maryland (65-35 on Dec. 10) and Eastern Michigan (48-35 on Jan. 6) to 35 points.
• The 32-point margin of victory is the second-largest this season behind a 42-point edge over Hillsdale (94-52) on Dec. 30. It was the largest against a MAC opponent since a 36-point win over Eastern Michigan (88-52) on March 5, 2014.