Dec. 13, 2003

Recap| Box Score| Quotes

Team Notes:

* The Rockets shot 73.1 percent from the free-throw line and have topped the 70-percent mark in five of six games this year. UT has registered a better free-throw percentage than its opponent in every game this year.

* The Rockets' bench held a 29-23 point advantage and a 12-7 rebound edge over their Titan counterparts. UT's bench has outscored and outrebounded its opponents in every game this season.

* Toledo converted only five-of-18 attempts from behind the three-point arc for a season-low 27.8 three-point field-goal percentage.

* The Rockets equaled their season high with nine steals.

Individual Notes:

* Senior guard Keith Triplett led the Rockets in scoring for the fifth time this season and has led UT's offense in 13 of his last 16 games dating back to last year. Triplett also registered a team-high five assists and leads UT with 3.2 assists per game.

* Senior forward Ricardo Thomas produced a season-high 14 points and was six-for-six from the free-throw line. It was his first double-digit outing of the season and the 15th of his Rocket career.

* Sophomore guard Sammy Villegas connected on a three-point field goal with 1:29 remaining to extend his streak of making a three-point field goal to 32 games. He is the only Rocket to score in double figures in every game this season.

* Freshman forward Florentino Valencia saw his streak of 16 straight free throws to open the season end with his first attempt today. He finished the contest making three-of-four attempts from the line.

* Freshman guard Justin Ingram registered a season-high four steals for the most thefts in a game by a Rocket this year.

* Senior center A.J. Shellabarger started for the first time this year in place of redshirt freshman Allan Pinson who sat out the contest with a sprained right shoulder suffered in the Rockets' game at Siena on Dec. 10.