THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 17, 1996 TAG: 9603170235
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
Forget the fact that Toledo plays in the Mid-American Conference.
Or that the Rockets did not have any All-American candidates.
Or that Toledo doesn't play an overpowering non-conference schedule.
The only thing that mattered Saturday evening was the Rockets made shots and that they made them often in the second half.
Toledo shot 57 percent after intermission and treated Mississippi like the lower seed in a 65-53 upset victory in first-round women's NCAA tournament action at the ODU field house. The 10th-seeded Rockets (25-5) play the Lady Monarchs in second round action at 8 p.m. Monday.
``We're a good team and we went out and showed people that,'' said Toledo forward Mimi Olson, who finished with a game-high 20 points. ``... We went out and beat them and gave it all we got.''
The problem for seventh-seeded Mississippi (18-11), which was one of seven Southeastern Conference teams to make the tournament, was Olson gave the Rebels a little too much.
Olson hit a 3-pointer that capped a 14-6 run to open the second half for Toledo. That was just the start.
Following an Angela Drake layup, the 6-foot junior hit a 3-pointer and then a long-range jump shot with her foot on the line that sparked an 11-0 run and put the Rockets ahead by 10. The Rebels trailed by double-digits from that point on.
``The second half was a great half for us,'' Toledo coach Ehlen said. ``We stressed at halftime better execution. We thought we were getting good shots
And in the process, the Rockets completely took the Rebels out of their offense.
Mississippi was the victim of one shot and out after intermission, getting outrebounded 23-16. Many of those were long rebounds following a missed Rebel 3-pointer.
The Rebels were 3 of 23 from behind the arc, including 0 for 13 in the second half.
``We didn't shoot the ball well and when you don't ... you're going to struggle,'' Rebel coach Van Chancellor said. ``... You have to score more than 50-something points to win a basketball game.''
And the Rebels needed to make all-SEC center Yolanda Moore a factor and she wasn't.
Despite scoring a team-high 17 points and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds, Moore was 6 of 14 from the field and simply could not assume domination inside.
``We were worried going into the game that Moore was such a great player but the zone neutralized her a little bit,'' Ehlen said.
Toledo's starting frontcourt outscored Mississippi's post players 44-26. by CNB