YPSILANTI, MI - Toledo struggled on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor tonight in a 68-44 setback at Eastern Michigan. With the win, the Eagles improved to 7-10 (3-2 MAC) on the year while the Rockets fell to 5-12 (2-3 MAC). The Rockets' 44 points are the fewest in a Mid-American Conference game under Head Coach Stan Joplin and UT's lowest in a conference contest since a 43-42 win over Miami on Jan. 10, 1996.
Junior guard Tyrone Kent was the only Rocket to score in double figures with 16 points. UT shot just 32.6 percent from the field, while allowing EMU to connect on 57.1 percent of its shots. It was the second highest shooting percentage by a Toledo opponent this season.
Eastern Michigan was paced by junior point guard Carlos Medlock, who poured in a game-high 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field. Sophomore center Justin Dobbins chipped in 14 for the Eagles on 5-of-6 shooting.
“I thought we might have some tough games this season but I didn't think it would be due to lack of effort, enthusiasm or just going through the motions,” Joplin said. “It was a terrible display of basketball and probably the worst I've ever been associated with. We got outhustled, outworked and we took some major steps backwards tonight. Our upperclassmen need to play better and give us better leadership. Our underclassmen were trying to rally the troops but we couldn't get anything going.”
EMU raced out of the gates to a 24-5 lead just 10 minutes into the game. Medlock led the way for with 14 first-half points. Junior Zane Gay chipped in with eight of his 10 points in the first half. The Eagles converted 17-of-27 shots (63.0 percent) in the opening stanza en route to a 39-17 advantage, the best by a Rocket opponent this season. EMU also led the battle of the boards in the first half by a 20-8 margin.
The closest UT came within the Eagles in the second half was 19 points when freshman guard Corey Bingham knocked down a trey to make the score 63-44 with 1:25 to play.
“Eastern Michigan played well and you have to give them credit,” Joplin said. “They hit some shots and got on top of us. They got every loose ball and did everything they wanted to do.”
The Rockets will be back in action at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 26, vs. Buffalo (6-10, 0-4 MAC) in the second game of a doubleheader at Savage Hall. The Bulls will host Ohio on Wednesday before heading to the Glass City.
