TOLEDO - Kim Knuth, the Mid-America Conference player of the year, scored almost half of the Rockets points as Toledo beat Cincinnati 76-62 in the first round of the women's NIT.
Knuth finished with a career-high 36 points and 14 rebounds. The junior forward struck early, scoring 20 points in the first half.
UC junior forward Amber Stocks kept the Lady Bearcats (21-9) in the game in the first half, making all three of her three-point attempts. UC went to the locker room at halftime trailing 32-26.
The Bearcats went ahead 52-51 on a Madinah Slaise three-pointer at 7:25, but Toledo pulled away in the final minutes of the game.
Slaise led UC with 14 points. Doris Scott had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Stocks finished with 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting from the three-point line.
Indiana 80, Xavier 74, at Bloomington, Ind. - Freshman Nicole Levandusky's 22 points, including six three-pointers, were not enough for Xavier as the Lady Hoosiers (20-11) advanced to play Toledo Sunday.
''None of these players had experienced post-season,'' Xavier coach Melanie Balcomb said of her 17-12 Muskies. ''It was a great experience for the young players.''
Six-foot-five senior center Quacy Barnes led the Lady Hoosiers with 18 points on 8-of-8 shooting.
Xavier trailed 41-27 at halftime, but outscored Indiana 47-39 in the second half.
''We came out a little intimidated,'' Balcomb said. ''We got down at halftime, and it hurt us. . . We played very well in the second half.''
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