Sophomore center Luke Knapke leads the MAC with 2.0 blocked shots per game.
Photo by: Laura Jacobsen
Toledo to Host High-Scoring Marshall Squad on Saturday Evening
12/8/2017 12:51:00 PM | Men's Basketball
QUICK HITTERS
• Toledo (5-3) looks to build off Wednesday's dramatic 89-86 victory at Detroit Mercy when it hosts Conference USA foe Marshall (6-3) on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 7:00 p.m. The contest will be streamed live on ESPN3. The Rockets, who posted their first road triumph this season with their win over the Titans, are unbeaten in four home games and will be looking to avenge last year's 111-105 (OT) setback to the Thundering Herd.
• Senior guard Tre'Shaun Fletcher hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer (that was No. 2 on ESPN's SportsCenter's Top 10) to lift Toledo to its win over the Titans. He tallied 16 points, a career-high 15 rebounds and six assists for his fifth double-double of the season.
• Junior guard Jaelan Sanford led the Rockets vs. UDM with a team-high 23 points and was one of five players to tally double-digit point totals.
• Fletcher is the lone individual to appear in the Mid-American Conference's Top 10 in points, rebounds and assists with 17.9 ppg (5th), 9.9 rpg (2nd) and 4.4 apg (T-5th).
• Sanford, junior forward Nate Navigato and sophomore center Luke Knapke are also scoring in double digits for UT as well with 16.4, 15.3 and 11.8 ppg, respectively.
• Knapke is the MAC's top shot blocker with 2.0 bpg and tied for seventh with an 85.0 FT%, while Navigato is second and T-15th nationally with 3.4 treys per game. Freshman guard Marreon Jackson is third in the MAC with a 51.9 3PTFG% (14-of-27).
• Jackson has scored a season-high 14 points in each of the last two games during which he's averaging 4.5 rpg, 3.0 apg and 1.5 spg while knocking down 7-of-14 three-point shots.
• As a team, Toledo paces the MAC with its 10.1 three-point field goals per game and its 38.8 three-point field-goal percentage ranks second. The Rockets have posted double-digit totals in three-point field goals made in five straight contests and are shooting 44.1 percent (56-of-127) from behind the arc in this stretch.
• Marshall, which is winless in three road contests this year, improved its home record to 6-0 with last Saturday's 86-64 win over Akron and Tuesday's 70-66 victory over Chattanooga. The Thundering Herd ranks 16th nationally with 88.9 points per game and are 326th in nation with 82.2 points allowed per game.
• Junior guard Jon Elmore leads the nation with 80 free throws made and ranks fourth in scoring (24.6 ppg) and sixth in assists (7.7 apg). Junior guard C.J. Burks and junior forward Ajdin Penava are also big offensive threats with 19.2 and 17.0 ppg, respectively.
• Elmore tallied 35 points and 10 assists in Marshall's win over the Rockets last year, while Navigato (14 pts.) and Knapke (11 pts.) scored in double digits for UT.
POST-GAME NOTES FROM TOLEDO'S 89-86 WIN OVER DETROIT MERCY
• Toledo is 4-0 when leading at halftime, 5-0 when outshooting its opponent and 3-1 when outrebounding its opponent.
• Five Rockets scored in double figures for the first time this season.
• The Rockets have attempted more free throws than their opponent in all eight games this season. Toledo is averaging 19.3 free-throw attempts, while allowing just 13.5 attempts per contest. As a team, the Rockets rank 11th nationally with 14.9 fouls per contest. Notre Dame ranks first with 12.9 per game.
THREE-POINT PRODUCTION
One of Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk's goals for the Rockets heading into the 2017-18 campaign was to increase their three-point field goals. Toledo has done just that in its first eight games by converting 81-of-209 attempts for a 38.8 conversion rate, a mark that ranks second in the MAC.
UT's 10.1 treys per game lead the MAC and are well ahead of last year's average of 7.7 three-pointers per game. The Rockets posted a 36.2 three-point field-goal percentage last year.
Toledo's 14 three-point field goals vs. Saint Joseph's in its season opener were tied for third-most in school history. The school record is 17 vs. Wright State on Dec. 22, 2003 with UT also hitting 16 vs. Marshall on Jan. 12, 2000.
UT has also posted double-digit trey totals with 12-of-25 totals at Syracuse (Nov. 22), 11-of-31 totals at Cornell (Nov. 24), 12-of-29 totals at Kansas (Nov. 28), 10-of-27 totals vs. Texas Southern (Dec. 2) and 11-of-25 totals at Detroit Mercy (Dec. 6).
HORIZON FAMILIARITY
Toledo has faced at least three Horizon League members in non-conference play over the last six years and will face four for a third consecutive year this season.
The Rockets are 16-9 vs. the Horizon League during this stretch, including an 9-3 mark over the last two-plus seasons.
Prior to taking over at the Rocket helm, Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk spent eight seasons coaching in the Horizon League at Green Bay.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Rockets possess a 50-15 (.769) win-loss mark in Savage Arena over the last four-plus years with an average margin of defeat of 3.9 points per game. Two of UT's homecourt setbacks last year were in overtime with another defeat coming by a 74-72 margin to Northern Illinois.
UT posted a 12-4 record on its home court last year, a 9-6 mark in 2015-16, a 10-5 ledger in 2014-15 and a perfect 15-0 mark in 2013-14.
The Rockets' unbeaten record (15-0) at home in 2013-14 was their first since 1966-67 and just the fourth time in school history UT has accomplished the feat.
Toledo's 4-0 home start this year marks just the second time in the last 13 years the Rockets have won their first four contests in Savage Arena. UT won its first six home games in the 2004-05 campaign in addition to posting a 15-0 mark in its 2013-14 season.
ON THE HORIZON
Toledo continues its three-game homestand vs. Horizon League foe Wright State (5-4) on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 2:00 p.m. and Jackson State (2-6) on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at 7:00 p.m. before visiting Cleveland State (2-6) on Saturday, Dec. 23 at 2:00 p.m.
• Toledo (5-3) looks to build off Wednesday's dramatic 89-86 victory at Detroit Mercy when it hosts Conference USA foe Marshall (6-3) on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 7:00 p.m. The contest will be streamed live on ESPN3. The Rockets, who posted their first road triumph this season with their win over the Titans, are unbeaten in four home games and will be looking to avenge last year's 111-105 (OT) setback to the Thundering Herd.
• Senior guard Tre'Shaun Fletcher hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer (that was No. 2 on ESPN's SportsCenter's Top 10) to lift Toledo to its win over the Titans. He tallied 16 points, a career-high 15 rebounds and six assists for his fifth double-double of the season.
• Junior guard Jaelan Sanford led the Rockets vs. UDM with a team-high 23 points and was one of five players to tally double-digit point totals.
• Fletcher is the lone individual to appear in the Mid-American Conference's Top 10 in points, rebounds and assists with 17.9 ppg (5th), 9.9 rpg (2nd) and 4.4 apg (T-5th).
• Sanford, junior forward Nate Navigato and sophomore center Luke Knapke are also scoring in double digits for UT as well with 16.4, 15.3 and 11.8 ppg, respectively.
• Knapke is the MAC's top shot blocker with 2.0 bpg and tied for seventh with an 85.0 FT%, while Navigato is second and T-15th nationally with 3.4 treys per game. Freshman guard Marreon Jackson is third in the MAC with a 51.9 3PTFG% (14-of-27).
• Jackson has scored a season-high 14 points in each of the last two games during which he's averaging 4.5 rpg, 3.0 apg and 1.5 spg while knocking down 7-of-14 three-point shots.
• As a team, Toledo paces the MAC with its 10.1 three-point field goals per game and its 38.8 three-point field-goal percentage ranks second. The Rockets have posted double-digit totals in three-point field goals made in five straight contests and are shooting 44.1 percent (56-of-127) from behind the arc in this stretch.
• Marshall, which is winless in three road contests this year, improved its home record to 6-0 with last Saturday's 86-64 win over Akron and Tuesday's 70-66 victory over Chattanooga. The Thundering Herd ranks 16th nationally with 88.9 points per game and are 326th in nation with 82.2 points allowed per game.
• Junior guard Jon Elmore leads the nation with 80 free throws made and ranks fourth in scoring (24.6 ppg) and sixth in assists (7.7 apg). Junior guard C.J. Burks and junior forward Ajdin Penava are also big offensive threats with 19.2 and 17.0 ppg, respectively.
• Elmore tallied 35 points and 10 assists in Marshall's win over the Rockets last year, while Navigato (14 pts.) and Knapke (11 pts.) scored in double digits for UT.
POST-GAME NOTES FROM TOLEDO'S 89-86 WIN OVER DETROIT MERCY
• Toledo is 4-0 when leading at halftime, 5-0 when outshooting its opponent and 3-1 when outrebounding its opponent.
• Five Rockets scored in double figures for the first time this season.
• The Rockets have attempted more free throws than their opponent in all eight games this season. Toledo is averaging 19.3 free-throw attempts, while allowing just 13.5 attempts per contest. As a team, the Rockets rank 11th nationally with 14.9 fouls per contest. Notre Dame ranks first with 12.9 per game.
THREE-POINT PRODUCTION
One of Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk's goals for the Rockets heading into the 2017-18 campaign was to increase their three-point field goals. Toledo has done just that in its first eight games by converting 81-of-209 attempts for a 38.8 conversion rate, a mark that ranks second in the MAC.
UT's 10.1 treys per game lead the MAC and are well ahead of last year's average of 7.7 three-pointers per game. The Rockets posted a 36.2 three-point field-goal percentage last year.
Toledo's 14 three-point field goals vs. Saint Joseph's in its season opener were tied for third-most in school history. The school record is 17 vs. Wright State on Dec. 22, 2003 with UT also hitting 16 vs. Marshall on Jan. 12, 2000.
UT has also posted double-digit trey totals with 12-of-25 totals at Syracuse (Nov. 22), 11-of-31 totals at Cornell (Nov. 24), 12-of-29 totals at Kansas (Nov. 28), 10-of-27 totals vs. Texas Southern (Dec. 2) and 11-of-25 totals at Detroit Mercy (Dec. 6).
HORIZON FAMILIARITY
Toledo has faced at least three Horizon League members in non-conference play over the last six years and will face four for a third consecutive year this season.
The Rockets are 16-9 vs. the Horizon League during this stretch, including an 9-3 mark over the last two-plus seasons.
Prior to taking over at the Rocket helm, Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk spent eight seasons coaching in the Horizon League at Green Bay.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Rockets possess a 50-15 (.769) win-loss mark in Savage Arena over the last four-plus years with an average margin of defeat of 3.9 points per game. Two of UT's homecourt setbacks last year were in overtime with another defeat coming by a 74-72 margin to Northern Illinois.
UT posted a 12-4 record on its home court last year, a 9-6 mark in 2015-16, a 10-5 ledger in 2014-15 and a perfect 15-0 mark in 2013-14.
The Rockets' unbeaten record (15-0) at home in 2013-14 was their first since 1966-67 and just the fourth time in school history UT has accomplished the feat.
Toledo's 4-0 home start this year marks just the second time in the last 13 years the Rockets have won their first four contests in Savage Arena. UT won its first six home games in the 2004-05 campaign in addition to posting a 15-0 mark in its 2013-14 season.
ON THE HORIZON
Toledo continues its three-game homestand vs. Horizon League foe Wright State (5-4) on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 2:00 p.m. and Jackson State (2-6) on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at 7:00 p.m. before visiting Cleveland State (2-6) on Saturday, Dec. 23 at 2:00 p.m.
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