Once again the Toledo Rockets found themselves desperate for a shooting touch but early struggles eventually gave way to better shooting and a 79-70 win over the Detroit Titans was the result. UT went 4-17 from three in the first half and finished with a 39% field goal percentage at the break but held a 41-29 lead as Detroit shot even worse than the Rockets at 33.3%.
The Rockets dramatically improved from range in the second half by going 6-13 from the three point line for a 46.2% mark. They ended the night shooting 41.9% overall which seemed like a miracle considering the amount of iron they drew in the game's opening ten minutes. Detroit made what looked like a sure blowout into a respectable game with a late surge before Senee Shearer, Detroit's best player, fouled out with a little over three minutes remaining.
Inma Zanoguera once again led the Rockets in all of your favorite statistical categories with 18 points and 11 rebounds in a team-high 38 minutes. Fortunately for the UT faithful, there was plenty of praise to go around with five other Rockets in double figures. Previously injured freshman Lindsay Baker made her Rockets debut by scoring 12 points and grabbing 6 boards after going 4-6 from beyond the arc and proving that three point shooting is not dead in Toledo. Elena de Alfredo, sidelined by injury herself for quite awhile, made her first appearance in Savage Arena a good one with 10 points. Andola Dortch (12 points, 11 assists), Brianna Jones (12 points, 5 rebounds) and Janelle Reed-Lewis (10 points, 5 assists) rounded out the box score standouts.
Shearer was dominant for Detroit even with foul trouble plaguing her throughout the game. She finished with 24 points for a Titan team that had four starters score in double figures and very little else from the other members of the squad. Ellisha Crosby had 16 points and 7 boards, Megan Galloway finished with 14 points and 8 rebounds and Megan Hatter had 14 points and 9 rebounds of her own. As a team, the Titans managed to just barely outrebound Toledo 46-44.
In regular injury news, Stephanie Recker (back) and Ana Capotosto (ankle) sat out tonight and their availability is unknown for tomorrow's 4:30 PM matchup against Valparaiso. Valpo knocked off Chicago State, 74-50, in the opening game of the Invite on Friday night for their first win of the season.