Men's Basketball Visits Akron on Wednesday, Feb. 7
2/6/2001 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
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Feb. 6, 2001
TOLEDO, OH - Toledo (13-8, 5-5 MAC) heads to Akron (10-10, 7-4 MAC) on Wednesday, Feb. 7 looking to return to its winning ways from earlier in the season.
After beginning the MAC season with a 4-0 mark, the Rockets have dropped five of their last six contests.
The primary factor in UT's struggles has centered on its inability to put the ball in the basket. The Rockets are shooting 37.3 percent (122-of-327) over their last six contests, including 15.0 (17-of-113) from three-point range.
That poor shooting has negated Toledo's solid effort defensively and on the boards. The Rockets are only giving up 64.2 ppg during their recent slump, 4.2 points below their season average. UT is also outrebounding its opponents during this stretch by a 37.0-35.5 margin.
Toledo's contest vs. the Zips marks its fourth straight contest against one of the MAC East Division's top four teams. The Rockets have posted a 1-2 mark in their previous three games with a win over Ohio (66-53 on Jan. 31) and losses to Marshall (72-57 on Jan. 29) and Kent State (68-54 on Feb. 3).
Senior Greg Stempin leads UT in points (17.3 ppg) and rebounds (8.1 rpg), while freshman Terry Reynolds ranks second in points (13.4) and is first in assists (4.8 apg) and steals (1.7 spg).
The Zips have overcome the loss of sophomore Andy Hipsher (14.2 ppg) to a back injury as well as four seniors from last year's squad who each scored 1,000 points in their careers. Senior Nate Schindewolf leads Akron in scoring with 15.3 points per game.
Stempin Aiming for MAC Player of the Year Honors
Senior All-America candidate Greg Stempin is shooting to become the Rockets' first MAC Player of the Year since Harvey Knuckles in 1981. He also is looking to become the fourth Rocket ever to earn first-team All-MAC honors on three occasions.
The other UT players to receive All-MAC accolades three times are Tom Kozelko (1971-73), Steve Mix (1967-69) and Phil Martin (1952-54).
Stempin ranks fourth in the MAC in scoring (17.3 ppg), seventh in rebounding (8.1 rpg) and is 10th in FG% (.469). He is averaging 8.9 rebounds during conference play to rank fourth in the MAC, and registered his 24th career double-double (26 pts., 11 reb.) vs. Kent State on Saturday.
The Stempin Watch
Senior Greg Stempin is in seventh place on UT's all-time scoring list and is 24 points away from moving ahead of Harvey Knuckles (1977-81) into sixth place.
Following is a list of the Rockets' all-time scoring leaders:
1. Ken Epperson (1981-85) 2,016
2. Craig Thames (1992-96) 1,964
3. Steve Mix (1966-69) 1,676
4. Tom Kozelko (1970-73) 1,561
5. Casey Shaw (1994-98) 1,502
6. Harvey Knuckles (1977-81) 1,488
7. Greg Stempin (1997-pres.) 1,465
8. Ted Williams (1974-78) 1,355
9. Larry Cole (1973-76) 1,352 1
0. Jim Swaney (1976-80) 1,328
Stempin Drawing Praises
Miami Head Coach Charlie Coles had this to say about Greg Stempin following UT's win over the RedHawks on Jan. 3:
"He's (Stempin) a great player. I've seen him for four years now. He's the same as (Wally) Szczerbiak and (Dan) Majerle were. I recruited him so hard. We've had some success, but I feel the success we would of had with him would be ongoing. I just dreamed of him and Szczerbiak playing on the same floor. That would have been a delight. I told him that if you come to Miami, we'll be in the Final Four."
More Notes on Toledo's 68-54 Loss to Kent State
* UT held a 39-30 rebound advantage vs. KSU. It was only UT's second loss when outrebounding an opponent with the other setback coming vs. Ball State.
* Senior forward Greg Stempin's 26 points were one shy of his career high.
* Senior center Craig Rodgers' 12 points were the second straight game he has scored in double figures. He also has shot 70 percent over these two games.
* UT's 17 first-half points equalled a season low for points in a half. The Rockets were also held to 17 first-half points in their season-opening 59-43 win over Southeast Missouri State.
Reynolds Key to Rockets' Attack
Freshman guard Terry Reynolds has proven how valuable he can be to the Rockets' offense this year. When looking at his production during UT's wins and losses, it shows even further how his play is a key ingredient to the Rockets' success.
In UT's 13 wins this year, he is averaging 15.6 ppg and shooting 45.5 percent from the field. In the Rockets' eight losses, he has been held to 9.9 ppg and a 28.3 field-goal percentage.
For the season, Reynolds leads all MAC freshmen with 13.4 points per game which ranks second on the team. He leads the team in assists (4.8 apg) and steals (1.7 spg). The 5-9 guard ranks third in the MAC in assists, fourth in steals and is 17th in points per game.
He burst upon the college basketball scene in UT's season-opening weekend when he earned all-tournament honors at the Energia Systems Thanksgiving Tournament in Kansas City.
In the Rockets' 95-90 win over Auburn in the semifinals, he tallied a game-high 36 points and seven assists. He scored 13 of UT's 21 points in the two overtimes and came up with a key steal late in the second overtime with UT holding a one-point lead.
Reynolds' 36-point outburst was the most by a Rocket since Craig Thames tallied 37 in a 103-102 (2OT) victory over Central Michigan on Feb. 28, 1996.
Moore Looks to Regain Hot Hand From Three-point Range
Sophomore guard Nick Moore is looking to regain the shooting form which made him one of the deadliest three-point shooters in the MAC.
The 6-1 Detroit native made 16-of-28 (57.1 percent) three-point attempts in his first four MAC games, but has converted only 5-of-29 (17.2 percent) from behind the arc in his last six games.
Moore still leads UT with a 40.0 (44- of-110) three-point FG% (7th in MAC) and also is first in three-point field goals made with 2.10 per game (7th in MAC). In MAC games, he is tied for third in team scoring with 9.8 ppg.
Earlier this season, Moore nailed all six of his three-point attempts against George Mason to equal a school record for three-point FG% set by Fred King at Kent State on Jan. 23, 1988.
Rocket Three-Point News
*The Rockets have four primary three-point shooting threats. In addition to the previously mentioned Nick Moore, Terry Reynolds (32.1 percent, 35-for-109), Greg Stempin (30.2 percent, 32-for-106), Robierre Cullars (29.0 percent, 18-for-62) are UT's other top shooting threats from three-point range.
* The Rockets are shooting only shooting only 15.0 percent (17-of-113) from three-point range in their last six games.
* As a team, UT is third in the MAC in three-point field goals made per game (6.6) and seventh in three-point FG% (33.3 percent). UT is first in three-point FG% defense (30.0 percent).
* UT sank its first nine three-point shots vs. George Mason on Dec. 2 en route to a 10-for-12 first-half shooting performance from behind the arc.
Jones Serving as Rockets' Top Man Off Bench
Senior guard Rory Jones has been the Rockets' top contributor off the bench this season, averaging 6.7 points per game in 17.3 minutes of action.
He has emerged offensively since the start of the MAC season, ranking first on the team in field goal percentage in both overall (55.4 percent) and conference (60.8 percent) play. He is tied for third on the team in MAC scoring (9.3 ppg) and has scored in double figures in five of 10 MAC games.
In the Rockets' first three MAC games, Jones registered a career-high point total in each game. He scored 12 vs. Miami, 14 at Western Michigan and 16 at Eastern Michigan.
Stempin Beginning to Take Advantage of His "Free" Throws
Senior Greg Stempin has steadily improved his stroke from the charity stripe this season.
In conference games, he has converted 60.4 percent of his free throw attempts after hitting just 44.4 percent in non-conference play. In his last three games, he has hit 66.7 percent (18-of-27) of his free throws.
Home Losses Hurting Rockets, Five of Last Eight Games on Road
Following Saturday's 68-54 setback to Kent State, UT has lost three of its last four MAC games at Savage Hall.
The Rockets now have five of their last eight MAC games on the road. UT is 2-2 on the road in the MAC this year and 7-2 in its last nine MAC road games.
The Rockets are now 6-4 at home this year and hold a 49-16 (.754) record at Savage Hall under Stan Joplin, including a 38-12 (.760) mark since the start of the 1997-98 season. In MAC games under Joplin, the Rockets have posted a 28-14 (.667) ledger at Savage Hall.
Getting to the Line
With its strong inside game and the penetration of guard Terry Reynolds, the Rockets are averaging 27.2 free throw attempts per game compared to 17.3 for their opponents. Toledo has been whistled for 17.6 personal fouls per contest, while its opponents have committed 23.0.
The Rockets have made the same number of free throws (364) than their opponents have attempted (364) this year, and have attempted 207 more free throws than their opponents over the entire season.
UT Attendance Second in the MAC
The Rockets are averaging 6,018 fans this season and trail only Ohio (7,386) in MAC attendance.
UT's current average is the highest during Stan Joplin's tenure as head coach. Last year's mark of 5,799 was the best average since the 1995-96 season.
Jockeying for MAC Tournament Seeds Beginning
Wednesday's game vs. Akron takes on added importance for the Rockets when looking at seeding for the 2001 MAC Tournament.
If the season ended today, the Rockets would be the No. 8 seed and host No. 9 Bowling Green. Other first-round pairings would be No. 10 Western Michigan at No. 7 Miami, No. 11 Northern Illinois at No. 6 Ball State, No. 12 EMU/Buffalo at No. 5 Akron, and No. 13 EMU/Buffalo at No. 4 Marshall.
Tough Stretch Ending
The Rockets conclude a challenging five-game stretch on Wednesday vs. Akron (10-10, 7-4 MAC). The contest marks UT's fifth straight contest vs. teams with above .500 records in MAC play.
UT faced Central Michigan (15-4, 9-1 MAC) on Jan. 24, Marshall (13-6, 7-4 MAC) on Jan. 29, Ohio (12-7, 7-3 MAC) on Jan. 31 and Kent State (15-6, 8-2 MAC) on Feb. 3.
Up Next ... Northern Illinois
Toledo will return home on Saturday, Feb. 10 to face Northern Illinois (4-15, 3-7 MAC). UT will be looking to avenge a 69-67 setback it suffered vs. the Huskies in DeKalb, IL on Jan. 20.
NIU has lost four in a row since defeating the Rockets and will host Marshall on Wednesday, Feb. 7 before heading to Toledo.
