Toledo to Close Out Week with Matchup at Northern Illinois on Saturday
2/17/2017 11:02:00 AM | Men's Basketball
QUICK HITTERS
• Toledo (13-13, 6-7 MAC) looks to avenge a 74-72 home setback to MAC West Divison foe Northern Illinois (14-12, 6-7 MAC) earlier this season when it travels to DeKalb, IL on Saturday, Feb. 18 to face the Huskies. Tip-off time in the Convocation Center is set for 3:30 p.m. (CT) with the game being streamed on ESPN3.
• The Rockets, who are tied for second place in the MAC's West Division, nearly ended Akron's 30-game homecourt win streak on Tuesday but let an 11-point lead with 10 minutes remaining slip away in a 71-65 setback to the Zips. Senior forward Steve Taylor, Jr. and sophomore forward Nate Navigato topped a balanced UT attack with 13 points apiece.
• Senior guard Jonathan Williams ranks third in the MAC with a team-high 20.0 ppg and is fourth in league play with a 20.2 scoring mark.
• Taylor, who is the only player in the MAC to rank in the league's Top 10 in points, rebounds and assists per game, ranks second in team scoring with 15.8 ppg to go along with a MAC-best 12.1 rpg and a team-high 3.7 apg. He sits third nationally in rebounding (through Feb. 15) and second with 9.8 defensive rpg (just behind Purdue's Caleb Swanigan's total of 10.1). In addition, Taylor's 18 double-doubles are tied for fourth in the nation.
• Sophomore guard Jaelan Sanford is also a double-digit scorer for the Rockets with 14.0 ppg and is playing a team-high 35.7 mpg. In league play, he is averaging 15.6 ppg and 3.6 apg with a 53.1 FG%, 50.9 3PTFG% and 2.0 assist/turnover ratio.
• As a team, Toledo ranks second in the MAC with 80.7 ppg and is first with a 48.8 FG% (17th nationally) and 16.2 apg. UT leads the MAC in league play with a 50.0 FG% and 17.5 apg.
• Sanford is one of three Rockets shooting 41.0 percent or better from three-point range with a 42.3 mark. He is joined by sophomore forward Nate Navigato and senior guard Jordan Lauf with 41.7 and 41.3 3PTFG%s, respectively.
• The Rockets have set a school record (breaking the previous mark of five in the 1971-72 campaign) with a nation-high six overtime games (2-4 record) this season.
• Toledo's six OT games are tied for first nationally with Indiana State and Eastern Washington.
• Northern Illinois dropped six of its last eight decisions, including Tuesday's 81-72 (OT) home setback to Ball State, since winning four in a row from Jan. 7-17.
• The Huskies lead the MAC in scoring defense (69.0 ppg) but are last in scoring offense (71.8 ppg) and three-point field-goal percentage (.312).
• Junior center Marin Maric is NIU's lone double-digit scorer with 13.2 ppg to go along with a team-high 7.6 rpg.
POST-GAME NOTES FROM UT'S 71-65 LOSS AT AKRON
• Toledo's four-game winning streak against the Zips was snapped with its first loss vs. Akron since Jan. 23, 2013.
• UT's two-game winning streak in Rhodes Arena was halted with the defeat.
• The Rockets are 5-4 against Akron during Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk's tenure.
• UT is 2-8 this season when it shoots under 45 percent.
• Toledo was held under 70 points for just the second time this season. UT's 10 free throws also equaled the second lowest by the Rockets this season.
• UT's record when outshooting its opponent dropped to 11-3.
• The Rockets' 28 points in the second half were a season low this season.
• The Zips registered a 40-36 rebounding advantage (including 26-18 in the second half) to drop Toledo's record to 2-7 when its opponent grabs more rebounds.
• Akron's 11 three-point field goals matched Central Michigan's 11 treys on Jan. 13 for the most threes registered by a Rocket opponent this season.
• Toledo shot 37.5 percent from three-point range against the Zips and has a 46.0 three-point FG% (52-of-113) in its last five outings.
• Senior guard Jonathan Williams dished out a career-high seven assists.
• Sophomore forward Nate Navigato hit two or more treys in each of his last nine games and has a 51.9 three-point FG% (28-of-54) during this stretch.
• Senior guard Jordan Lauf grabbed eight rebounds for the third straight contest and is averaging 7.8 rpg in his last four contests.
• Sophomore guard Jaelan Sanford is shooting 63.9 percent from the field (23-of-36) and 55.0 percent (11-of-20) from three-point range in his last four games.
