by Cleveland, OH; The second game of the morning session comes between the 2-seeded Toledo Rockets and the 3-seeded Buffalo Bulls. The Rockets come into the match-up at 23-7 on the season, with the Bulls coming in at 25-6.
Toledo was led by graduate guard/forward Nan Garcia who finished with a double-double including 13 points and 15 rebounds. Graduate guard/forward Sammi Mikonowicz followed up with a double-double of her own including 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists.
While Buffalo was led by 5th-year guard Chellia Watson who finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Despite four different Bulls players finishing with 9 or more points, it would not be enough as Toledo was just too much for them to handle come the end.
The game started off with both offenses being very stagnant. Through over 5 minutes of a 3-3 game, Buffalo was shooting just 1-for-7 while Toledo was shooting 1-for-5 to start.
The stagnant offense continued for both sides throughout the first quarter. Both teams shot 29% with Toledo holding a narrow 11-10 lead.
It was much of the same as well to begin the second quarter. With exactly 4 minutes left in the half, both teams were tied up at just 13 a piece.
The shooting was somehow getting worse with a 1-for-5 start from Buffalo and 1-for-9 start from Toledo in the second quarter.
It was about time we got some excitement in this game as the Bulls went on a 8-0 run to end the half. It was capped off with a buzzer beater three by Watson who had 6 of her blank points in the first half alone.
Going into halftime, Buffalo held a 20-13 lead. Give them credit as their defense held Toledo to just 21% shooting in the first half, including just 10% in the second quarter in which they scored only two points.
Toledo came out of the half looking like a completely different team as they went on a 10-6 run. Halfway through the third, the Rockets were trailing just 23-26.
In fact, Toledo managed to outscore their first half total of 13 in the first seven minutes of the third quarter.
This ended up becoming a great game as Toledo went on a 12-10 run to end the third quarter. Heading into the fourth, Buffalo held a one point lead, 36-35.
But the Rockets found themselves going on a 9-2 run to start the fourth quarter. Getting their lead up to as many as six at 44-38.
With it setting up to be a great finish, it looked like it could have been anyone’s game to take.
Across the final half of the fourth quarter, both teams continued to exchange buckets with Toledo’s lead hopping around from six and four.
Buffalo began to get the stops they needed as they got the deficit down to as less as three, but nothing closer.
Kudos to Toledo who would refuse to let Buffalo regain the lead. The Rockets outscored the Bulls in the second half by a whopping 43-29 margin.
It was truly a tale of two halves as Toledo walked away with the 56-49 victory. The win sends the Rockets to the Women’s MAC Championship where they will take on the Ball State Cardinals.
