CLEVELAND, Ohio- Western Michigan defeated Toledo two times in the regular season, but couldn't pull off a third win this year, falling to the Rockets in the second round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament Wednesday, 72-61. The Broncos finish 2013-14 with a 13-18 overall record.
The first half was an all out dogfight and the Rockets led by just two, 30-28, at halftime. Toledo pulled away in the second half, however, going up by 18. Western Michigan managed to cut the deficit to single-digits with under a minute remaining, but time ran out on the comeback.
“I tip my hat to Toledo,” said WMU head coach Shane Clipfell. “They were here to compete. We were here to compete. I'm disappointed we lost, but I'm not disappointed completely in the way we played.
"The thing Toledo wasn't able to do the first two times we played them was expose us with the speed of their guards. The biggest difference was their guards' ability to get into our defense, both in transition and in the corner court as well.”
Toledo guards Andola Dortch and Inma Zanoguera were two of five Rockets who scored in double figures. Dortch had 12 points, five assists and five rebounds while Zanoguera had 11 points, seven rebounds and two assists.
Sharp shooter Ana Capotosto benefited from the guard's ability to penetrate, as she found open looks from behind the arc on several kickouts. She buried 5-for-6 from distance, including four in the second half as Toledo pulled away, and finished with a game-high 21 points.
Junior Marquisha Harris and sophomore Miracle Woods each had eight points for Western Michigan in the post in the first half, but Harris was limited to just two in the second. Woods went on to score 15 in the second and ended with a team-high 23 points. Harris grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds to check out with her fifth double-double of the season. Junior guard Julia Henson (three 3-pointers) also had 10 points.
“Miracle's got a lot to do with the continuation and the evolution of our program,” Clipfell said. “It's a culture change from our two years ago of what we had when we got there. I feel like we have turned the corner in terms of the culture and the belief. They haven't completely turned the corner in the locker room yet, which is something that is going to have to be continued in the offseason.
“I say a 'player-coach' team is better than a 'coach-coach' team. I think they're starting to understand the definition of that. When we get there, we'll be able to stay here (in Cleveland) for more than one game.”
Western Michigan advanced to Cleveland for the second-straight year under Clipfell, after failing to get past the first round in the four seasons prior to his arrival. The Broncos posted an 8-10 conference record this season, to increase last year's MAC win total by two. Earning a No. 7 seed in this year's tournament, WMU also improved its conference tournament seeding by two.
Woods was Second Team All-MAC selection, becoming the first Bronco garner first or second team status since 2008. She closed out her sophomore season leading the Broncos in scoring (16.5 ppg) and rebounding (7.2 rpg). Harris finished second in both categories, averaging 12.9 ppg and 7.1 rpg and was named Honorable Mention All-MAC. Sophomore point guard Alex Morton dished out 116 assists, which was the most by a Bronco since 2008-09.
WMU will return almost its entire roster next year, losing just two seniors - 6-3 center Rachel Adaline and 5-9 first-year walk-on guard Kylie McKay.
