The University of Toledo
03/13/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/14/2024 08:04
Second-Half Surge Gives Toledo 72-61 Victory Over WMU in MAC Tournament Quarterfinals
Second-Half Surge Gives Toledo 72-61 Victory Over WMU in MAC Tournament Quarterfinals
Fifth-year senior Quinesha Lockett scored 14 of her 19 points in the second half to rally the Toledo women's basketball team to a 72-61 victory over Western Michigan in quarterfinal action of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland on Wednesday.
No. 1 seed Toledo (26-4) trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half and was down 42-32 at halftime, before outscoring No. 8 seed Western Michigan (12-18) 40-19 in the final 20 minutes to win its 14th-consecutive game and advance to the semifinals vs. the winner of the Buffalo/Bowling Green game.
Quinesha Lockett scored 14 of her team-high 19 points in the second half to lead Toledo to a 72-61 victory over Western Michigan in quarterfinal action of the MAC Tournament on Wednesday.
"I was so proud of our players for settling down in the second half and having such great poise," said Head Coach Tricia Cullop, who was named MAC Coach of the Year for the sixth time in her career Tuesday. "I think that comes with experience. These kids have been with us for a long time. They didn't get rattled. They just kept focused and knew that if we just stayed together we could figure it out."
Lockett was joined in double figures by Sophia Wiard, Sammi Mikonowicz and Khera Goss, who each scored 12 points. Mikonowicz had all 12 of her points in the second half, including six points in a decisive 17-4 Toledo run to open the fourth quarter. WMU opened the game by hitting 4-of-5 from three-point range and eventually built a 38-25 lead with 2:37 left in the first half.
"I thought Q (Lockett) hit some big shots, I thought Sammi hit some big shots from the corner and Soph (Wiard) kept everyone at bay," Cullop said. "Hats off to Western. They came out shooting lights out. Their defensive game plan was to confuse us a little bit, and it did. We knew it would happen. Everybody plays hard when your basketball life is on the line."
Toledo, the defending MAC Tournament champion, shot just 25-of-63 (39.7%) from the floor but forced 15 WMU turnovers while committing just six. The Rockets also put the clamps down on defense in the second half, holding the Broncos to just 7-of-19 (36.8%) in the final 20 minutes.
WMU made just 1-of-9 (11.1%) three-pointers in the final two quarters after ripping the nets for 8-of-17 (47.0%) from long range in the opening 20 minutes. WMU senior guard Hannah Spitzley scored just two points in the second half after pouring in 18 in the first half.