TOLEDO, Ohio - The Western Michigan women's basketball team dropped a mid-week Mid-American Conference road contest at the University of Toledo Wednesday evening, falling by a score of 73-63. 

The Broncos hung tough until the Rockets pulled away in the final minutes. A Rocket three-pointer with 1:58 remaining in the game gave the home team its largest lead of the game at 66-55. Toledo maintained at least a seven-point advantage to close out the game. 

After shooting a season-high 45.8 percent from beyond the arc most recently during the victory over Eastern Michigan last Saturday, WMU struggled from beyond the arc versus Toledo, shooting 4-of-21 from three-point range. The Rockets shot efficiently from the field, converting 29-of-55 field goal attempts (52.7%). The Brown & Gold shot 40.7 percent from the field, going 24-of-59 from the field. 

Deja Wimby led the Broncos with a season-high 24 points, tying her career-high with 10 field goals made. Kamrin Reed added 14 points while Leighah-Amori Wool tallied 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Meredith Miller tied a career-high with five assists.

Western Michigan opened the game on a 7-1 run, capped off by a Wool three-pointer a few minutes in. It would stand as WMU's largest lead of the game as the Rockets answered with a run of their own to tie the game at 7-7. A pair of Wimby free throws set the score at 17-16 in favor of Toledo heading into the second quarter. 

The Broncos grabbed several leads in the second quarter as an even-paced second frame resulted in 13 points each from WMU and Toledo. The Brown & Gold claimed its last lead of the game as a Wimby steal and layup with five minutes remaining gave WMU a 25-24 lead. 

The first half saw seven lead changes while both teams nearly shot 50 percent from the field. Toledo took a one-point lead into the locker room with a slim 30-29 halftime advantage.

Toledo maintained its slim lead until the 4:40 minute mark of the third frame when Wimby completed a three-point play, drawing a foul after a successful layup driving to the basket. She made the free throw to knot the score at 40-40. However, Toledo responded on a 9-0 run.

WMU came within four points of the Rockets several times in the final 10 minutes, but the Sara Rokkanen three-pointer to put the home team up by 11 in the final minutes proved to be the dagger. 

Up Next
Western Michigan, now 9-17 overall and 3-12 in the MAC, returns to University Arena on Saturday, March 2 to host Ball State at 2 p.m. Saturday is alumni day and a doubleheader with the Bronco men's basketball team. A men's game ticket is also good for general admission seating for the women's game versus Ball State. A women's ticket stub can be redeemed for a free upper level ticket for the men's game against Ball State at 4:30 p.m.

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