The Toledo women’s basketball team defeated Long Beach State University 79-72 at Savage Arena on Nov. 22.
The Rockets (3-1) started behind in the first half, with the 49ers (2-2) coming out with a seven scoring run midway through the first quarter. Graduate student Khera Goss scored a three-pointer, giving the Rockets the lead entering the second quarter and carried the advantage for the rest of the game, the margin as large as 16 in the third quarter.
Four Rockets scored in the double digits for the first time this season, led by sophomore Kendall Carruthers who finished with 19 points. Graduate student Nan Garcia scored 14 points, while sophomore Cadence Dykstra added 13. Goss added 12 points, along with five assists.
Carruthers went 7-for-9 shooting, 1-for-2 at the free throw line, and 4-for-4 from the three-point range. Dykstra went 4-for-4 shooting, 5-for-6 at the free throw line, and team high seven assists. Freshman Evalyse Cole had her first career points tonight, going 2-for-2 at the free throw line.
Garcia and Goss each added five rebounds. Dykstra, graduate student Hannah Noveroske, and freshman Kendall Braden each collected three rebounds. Goss also had two steals and a block, while sophomore Ella Weaver had two steals.
“I told them before the game I thought I could feel the momentum coming,” said Head Coach Ginny Boggess. “I thought tonight would be a tipping point for some of our young women and for us collectively. I thought you saw that out there, especially the growth in the play from Cadence Dykstra and some of our young kids coming off the bench, and Nan Garcia and Hannah Noveroske made huge contributions. I'm very pleased overall and also excited that we still have some things to clean up and build upon moving forward.”
Toledo will begin play at the Navy Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday, Nov. 30, where they will take on Navy at 1 p.m.
