NEW ORLEANS, LA – Toledo outscored Southern Illinois 43-27 in the second half en route to registering a 64-48 win on Saturday in the second round of the New Orleans Shootout in the Convocation Center on the campus of Xavier University of Louisiana. With the victory, the Rockets improve to 6-4 on the season.
UT shot a blistering 54.8 percent (17-of-31) from the field over the final 20 minutes and 77.8 percent (7-of-9) from the charity stripe to improve to 22-5 (.815) in pre-conference tournaments under the direction of head coach Tricia Cullop.
Junior Ana Capotosto scored 12 of her team-high 20 points after the intermission, while sophomore Janice Monakana posted eight of her career-best 17 points in the second half to pace the Rockets to their second win in as many days. UT posted a 65-56 win against Nevada in the first round on Saturday.
UT also received nine points and a squad-best nine boards from senior Inma Zanoguera and six points each from junior Brenae Harris and sophomore Sophie Reecher to claim the impressive 16-point neutral-site triumph.
For a second-straight game, Toledo did a nice job taking care of the basketball and finished with 10 assists and only 10 turnovers. The Midnight Blue & Gold was especially effective in the second stanza, totaling eight helpers with only three miscues.
Rishonda Napier led the Salukis (6-4) with 15 points and Cartaesha Macklin had 10.
SIU started fast and took advantage of five points from Azia Washington to hold a 10-2 lead at the 15:16 mark. Washington knocked down a triple and a pair of free throws to give the visitors an early three-possession advantage.
The Rockets continued to trail as the first half wore on, and Southern Illinois utilized a mini 5-0 burst to create a 17-10 cushion with just under nine minutes remaining in the period. Washington accounted for the first two points and Macklin knocked down a trey to establish a seven-point bulge for Southern Illinois.
UT needed an offensive spark to get back in the game and five straight points from Monakana trimmed the deficit to 17-15 with 5:35 left in the opening stanza. The London, England native converted a layup and drilled a three-point field goal to make it a one-possession difference.
Monakana's play jump-started the Rockets offense and Capotosto fed off the swing in momentum. The Saugatuck, MI native drained a pair of free throws and converted a steal and coast-to-coast layup to knot the score at 21-21 at the intermission.
Monakana and Capotosto combined to score 17 of Toledo's 21 points in the opening half.
The Rockets remained red-hot to start the second stanza and hit their first four shots from the field to establish a 30-26 lead at the 17:49 mark. Reecher, Harris, Zanoguera and Monakana were each credited with field goals in the impressive start to the final 20 minutes. It proved to be a lead UT would not relinquish.
Moments later, UT extended the margin to double figures, 41-31, on a trey by Capotosto and four-consecutive points from Monakana, forcing SIU into a timeout with 11:53 left in regulation.
SIU's Napier willed her team back into the contest with a pair of treys, before UT's Capotosto responded by scoring nine straight points to push the lead back to 15, 58-43, to seal the victory.
Toledo will now take a couple days off to enjoy the holidays before closing out its non-conference slate vs. UW-Parkside on Tuesday, Dec. 30. The opening tip against the Division II member Rangers is slated for 7:00 p.m. in Savage Arena.
