Toledo downs Marquette to run win streak to 7

12/17/2012

MILWAUKEE — Toledo outscored Marquette by 21 in the second half to claim an 82-71 come-from-behind victory on Saturday evening in the Al McGuire Center. With the road victory, UT runs its win streak to seven-consecutive games and improves to 8-1 on the season.

Junior Andola Dortch led four Rockets in double figures with a season-high 24 points, including 18 crucial points in the decisive second stanza. Also scoring double digits for UT were senior Naama Shafir with 17 points; junior Brianna Jones and sophomore Inma Zanoguera had 11 points each.

Dortch and Shafir dominated the second half and scored 32 of the team’s 50 points after the break, including the final 22 points to seal the come-from-behind win.

Toledo connected on a sizzling 61.5 percent (16-of-26) from the field in the second half and finished the game shooting a season-high 49.1 percent (28-of-57). The Rockets also drained an impressive 78.6 percent (22-of-28) from the foul line, including 15-of-19 (78.9 percent) in the second half to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit.

The Golden Eagles (4-5) looked to have the game in control after scoring the first five points in the second half to take a 47-32 lead with 18:05 left in regulation.

UT responded with a 19-4 run to tie the game at 51-all at the 13:29 mark. The Rockets knocked down eight of their first 12 shot in the second half to erase the double-digit deficit. Six different Toledo players scored in the run to force the third tie of the contest.

Toledo continued to play from behind for the next five-plus minutes, before Dortch scored four-straight points to give the visitors a 64-62 lead at 7:13.

Dortch remained on-fire shooting the ball and nailed her second triple in the half to push Toledo’s margin to 71-65 with 5:25 left in regulation. Dortch’s backcourt mate Shafir also contributed four-consecutive points during this stretch to build a two-possession cushion.

The Rockets’ backcourt duo was too much for the Golden Eagles to contain in the waning moments, accounting for the final 22 points to help them claim the double-digit victory.