BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (Interstat) — The Bowling Green Falcons defeated the Toledo Rockets 61-52 in a Mid-American Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Stroh Center. Bowling Green used a 16-11 second-quarter advantage to build a halftime lead and never trailed again before an announced crowd of 2,009. The Falcons forced 19 Toledo turnovers, converting them into 19 points. Taya Ellis led Bowling Green with 10 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks. Paige Kohler scored a game-high 17 points. Kendall Carruthers scored 13 points for Toledo. The Rockets shot just 20 of 55 from the field. Bowling Green improved to 15-12 overall, while Toledo fell to 14-11.

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by turnovers and blocked shots, the Bowling Green Falcons used a dominant third quarter to secure a 61-52 victory over the Toledo Rockets in a Mid-American Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Stroh Center. A crowd of 2,009 watched as the Falcons avenged a loss to Toledo from just three weeks prior, improving their season record to 15-12 overall. Toledo fell to 14-11. The game’s pivotal stretch came immediately after halftime. Leading 36-29, Bowling Green clamped down defensively, holding the Rockets to a mere six points in the third quarter. Toledo managed just two field goals in the period, shooting 2 of 13 from the floor while committing six turnovers. The Falcons, meanwhile, methodically built their lead, outscoring Toledo 14-6 in the quarter to take a commanding 50-35 advantage into the final period. Bowling Green’s defense was the story of the game. The Falcons forced 19 Toledo turnovers, converting them into 19 points, while committing only nine turnovers themselves. They also registered nine blocked shots and 11 steals, consistently disrupting Toledo’s offensive rhythm. Toledo’s offensive rating of 74.4 points per 100 possessions underscored the Falcons’ defensive effectiveness. Taya Ellis, a 6-foot-1 forward from Toronto, was the defensive anchor and a key contributor for Bowling Green. She finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds and a remarkable six blocked shots in 29 minutes, controlling the paint and altering countless other attempts. Paige Kohler led all scorers with 17 points for the Falcons, adding six rebounds. Johnea Donahue orchestrated the offense with seven assists to go with 10 points and seven rebounds, while Lauren Gerken provided a critical scoring punch off the bench with 14 points, including four 3-pointers, and three blocks. For Toledo, guard Kendall Carruthers, a hometown product, led the way with 13 points and four assists. Ella Weaver grabbed a team-high nine rebounds. The Rockets shot just 36.4% from the field and were hampered by their ball security issues throughout the contest. The first half was a back-and-forth affair. Toledo started strong, taking an early lead behind quick scores from Miriam Diala and Carruthers. Bowling Green responded with outside shooting, as Kohler and Gerken connected from deep to help the Falcons take a 20-18 lead after one quarter. The Falcons extended their margin to seven by halftime, capitalizing on Toledo’s mistakes to build a cushion they would never relinquish. Toledo showed fight in the fourth quarter, outscoring Bowling Green 17-11, but the deficit built during the third-quarter drought proved too large to overcome. The Rockets closed the gap to nine points on a Patricia Anumgba 3-pointer with 46 seconds remaining, but Bowling Green made enough free throws down the stretch to seal the win. The victory gives Bowling Green momentum as they head into the final stretch of the conference schedule. They will travel to face Ohio on Wednesday. Toledo looks to rebound when they host Central Michigan on Wednesday. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Toledo had been projected with a 62.40 percent probability to win the contest.

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (Interstat) — A pivotal Mid-American Conference women’s basketball matchup is set for Saturday when the Bowling Green Falcons host the Toledo Rockets at the Stroh Center. Both teams enter with identical 14-win seasons, though Toledo (14-10, 8-3 MAC) holds a slight edge in conference play and sits higher in the standings than Bowling Green (14-12, 6-5). The Rockets won the first meeting this season, 59-49, in Toledo on Jan. 31. Toledo arrives riding a two-game win streak, most recently a 60-52 road victory at Massachusetts on Wednesday. The Rockets are powered by guard Patricia Anumgba, who scored 22 points in that win and is averaging 20.3 points over her last four games. She had 13 points and six rebounds in the January win over the Falcons. Bowling Green has won two of its last three, including a 67-63 home win over Western Michigan on Wednesday. The Falcons counter with guard Johnea Donahue, who led the team with 14 points in that victory. Donahue was a bright spot in the first loss to Toledo, finishing with 19 points, six rebounds and two blocks. The game features two of the MAC’s top guards in Anumgba and Donahue, whose backcourt battle will likely dictate the tempo. Toledo will look to complete the regular-season sweep and solidify its conference standing, while Bowling Green seeks revenge on its home floor to improve its seeding for the upcoming MAC tournament. Saturday’s contest tips off at 2 p.m. EST. Following this game, Toledo will host Central Michigan on Wednesday, while Bowling Green travels to face Ohio.