Jan. 7, 2004

Recap| Box Score| Quotes

Team Notes:

* Toledo has opened the conference season with three straight wins for the first time since the 2000-01 campaign when it won its four MAC contests.

* The Rockets held Central Michigan to 41.9 percent shooting from the field for the second-lowest field-goal percentage by an opponent this season.

* Toledo equalled a season high with nine steals for the fifth game this season. Freshman Justin Ingram led the way with five steals for the most thefts by any Rocket this season.

* UT's 50-point first half was the fourth time this season the Rockets have scored 50 or more points in a half.

* The Rockets shot 10-for-19 from three-point range marking the fourth time this year it has shot better than 50 percent from behind the arc and made 10 or more treys.

* Toledo shot 76.5 percent (13-of-17) from the line compared to CMU's 57.1 effort (12-of-21) and has outshot its opposition from the charity stripe in all but one game this season.

Individual Notes:

* Sophomore guard Sammy Villegas did not start for the first time in his Rocket career and responded with career highs in points (27) and rebounds (12) in just 29 minutes of action. Villegas was six-of-six from the line and is shooting 100 percent (10-of-10) from the charity stripe in MAC games this season.

* Senior guard Keith Triplett scored 21 points for his MAC-best seventh 20-point outing of the season. Triplett also grabbed a season-high seven rebounds, dished out five assists and made two steals in 36 minutes.

* Senior center A.J. Shellabarger notched his second straight double-figure scoring game with 11 points all coming in the first half.