Sports

The Miami women's basketball team used high-pressure defense and great transition play to run all over Toledo Wednesday night at Millett Hall, defeating the Rockets 87-77 in an important Mid-American Conference match up.

The RedHawks, who moved to 10-10 overall and 4-3 in the MAC, were led by sophomore guard Ashley Hawkins, who scored a career-high 28 points.

"My shot was just falling," Hawkins said. "I was able to get out in the field and push it up in transition and that was working well for us."

Hawkins also led Miami with six steals, a category that made all the difference in the game, with the RedHawks outscoring Toledo 35-16 on points off turnovers.

Hawkins' partner in crime, junior guard Amanda Jackson, contributed five steals of her own while scoring 21 points for the RedHawks.

Miami Head Coach Maria Fantanrosa explained how Hawkins and Jackson wreak havoc on opposing offenses.

"They've got great hands...and that's just a competitive thing. A.J. (Jackson) has been like that her whole career, but Ashley is coming into her own now," Fantanrosa said. "What a threat to have both of them be that aggressive."

The stars, however, weren't just found in the backcourt. Sophomore forward Eve Pyle grabbed her third career double-double, scoring 13 points and snagging 11 rebounds.

"On both ends she got to the boards hard and that really helps us," Jackson said.

The win, which was Miami's first home victory against Toledo since the 1994-95 season, almost never seemed in doubt, with Miami leading the entire game, including a 21-point margin with 6:03 left in the second half.

But an aggressive Toledo full court press spawned a late surge by the Rockets, who cut the lead to eight with just 2:07 to go.

The Toledo run forced Fantanrosa to call a timeout to remind the RedHawks to play their style of basketball.

"We talked (during the timeout) about continuing to be aggressive. Toledo made a run and (Rockets guard Danielle) Bishop made a big shot, but we can't let one or two possessions take away our confidence. We've got to remember that when we play well we're aggressive for 40 minutes," Fantanrosa said.

The reminder worked, and the RedHawks held on for the win.

Miami's next game will be against Central Michigan, another MAC rival, at noon this Saturday at Millett Hall.

Central Michigan is 1-6 in MAC play with a 9-11 overall record.

The game, which will be televised on ESPNU, is the third in a six-game series against MAC West opponents.

Fantanrosa was confident that Wednesday's victory will help the RedHawks as they play these crucial games.

"This Toledo win is important because it's another step in the right direction for our team. We have high goals and we have high expectations because we're invested, and that's a fact with our players," Fantanrosa said.