The University of Toledo women's basketball team struggled collectively to find its shot against Valparaiso on Wednesday night at Savage Arena, as the Rockets fell 61-54 for their fourth consecutive loss.
Toledo shot 33 percent from the field (20-of-61), 15 percent from the 3-point line (4-of-27), and 56 percent from the free throw line (10-of-18). The Rockets struggled at times to take good shots, but at the same time failed to convert on many open looks throughout the game.
“It was a little bit of both,” Toledo coach Tricia Cullop said. “Sometimes I thought we drove too far and drew two people and traveled or threw up a bad shot begging for a foul. Sometimes we had wide open shots and couldn't get them to fall. We're going to keep working and keep getting better because I do believe in these kids. I think we have the talent we need to win, we are just not getting the result that we want right now. For three games in a row we've been very close and we just have to stay the course.”
Tanaya Beacham paced Toledo (1-4) offensively with 13 points and Tatyana Davis added 10 points.
“Tonight was just one of those nights where our shot wasn't falling,” Beacham said. “We had to look for the extra pass so we can get the great shot. I feel like if we execute on defense and get good stops and play good defense, our offense will come. It always starts with defense first.”
Valparaiso (3-3) spread Toledo out defensively with five players on the perimeter, leaving no post player inside. The results were good looks from the outside and several drives to the basket.
“You are playing against kids that shoot 3's and drive, so they are not true post players,” Cullop said. “You are kind of taking a kid out of their element and you have to play really disciplined defense.”
Valparaiso’s Carie Weinman caught fire throughout the game, making 6-of-8 3-point attempts on her way to a game-high 20 points. She was the only Crusader to score in double figures in the game as they shot 46.7 percent from the field (21-of-45), 43.5 percent from 3 (10-of-23), and 75 percent from the line (9-of-12).
“They are really great shooters and there was no true post, so everyone had to play against guards,” Beacham said. “We had to guard our yard and make sure we were in help. I think communication was one of the big keys.”
The teams were tied at 18 after one quarter of play, and after a fast-break layup from Mariella Santucci with 26 seconds left in the half, Toledo took a 34-33 lead.
The third quarter was where things changed. The Crusaders closed the quarter on a 15-2 run as Toledo failed to score in the final five minutes of the third. Valparaiso took a 49-40 lead into the fourth quarter.
Cullop identified the eight missed free throws in the game and the third-quarter struggles as key factors in the outcome.
Despite the tough third quarter, the Rockets cut the lead back to four points at 58-54 after a Beacham layup with 1:41 left in the game. But Grace White made two free throws to extend the lead back to six points, and Toledo missed three consecutive 3-pointers on the next possession, with Santucci drawing a foul on an offensive rebound on the last miss.
After an out of bounds play, Davis could not connect on a jumper. Toledo was forced to foul, and Shay Frederick made 1-of-2 free throws.
After the Rockets were beaten handily by Dayton at home, they have played tight contests in a road loss to Notre Dame and home losses to Memphis and Valparaiso. Cullop is hopeful that if her young team corrects a few things and has a few things break their way, Toledo can turn things around in a big way.
“It's not on one kid, it's on all of us, our coaching staff too,” Cullop said. “We're really close in the last three games of having everything we want and yet not coming away with it. I hope we use it to grit down and get what we want and get better and make sure we stay even tighter and closer together. If we do, I really, really like this team.”
First Published November 28, 2019, 3:14 a.m.
