March 7, 2002

Final Stats| Quotes

By TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer

CLEVELAND (AP) - Sophomore guard Keith Triplett scored 22 points and sophomore guard Terry Reynolds tallied all 12 of his points in the second half and Toledo moved into the semifinals of the Mid-American tournament with a 62-54 win Thursday over cold-shooting Central Michigan.

The fourth-seeded Rockets (16-13) scored just two field goals in the final 10:10 but that was enough to hold off the Chippewas (9-19). Central Michigan managed just one field goal over the final 16:37 and made only four baskets in the second half.

Toledo will play top-seeded Kent State in Friday's first semifinal. Trevor Huffman scored 24 points to lead the Golden Flashes to 82-70 quarterfinal win over eighth-seeded Marshall.

Mike Manciel scored 14 points - 12 on free throws - to lead 12th-seeded Central Michigan, which upset fifth-seeded Ohio University in the first round.

David Webber, playing his final game for the Chippewas, scored seven points on 3-of-13 shooting. He missed all seven of his three-point attempts.

Reynolds' basket with 10:10 left gave Toledo a 49-42 lead, and with Central Michigan misfiring, the Rockets looked as if they would coast into the semis.

But the Chippewas picked up some fouls by driving to the basket and got within 51-49 with 4:05 left on two free throws by Manciel, who got to the line 10 times after halftime.

Triplett then made two free throws before Whitney Robinson finally hit a three-pointer for Central Michigan, which went 13:10 without a field goal.

Reynolds, slashing to the hole at every opportunity, then made five free throws to put the Rockets ahead 58-53, and Triplett made two free throws after a Webber turnover.

Sophomore forward Ricardo Thomas' basket with 21 seconds left closed the scoring for the Rockets, who lost to Kent State by 27 points during the regular season.