TOLEDO, OH ? Toledo closed out the current version of Savage Hall tonight with a 72-63 Mid-American Conference victory over Eastern Michigan. It was the Rockets' final game in the 32-year old facility that will undergo a major renovation before the 2008-09 campaign. The victory improved UT's record to 9-18 and 6-8 in the MAC, while EMU fell to 12-16 overall and 7-8 in conference play.
Junior guard Tyrone Kent led the Rockets with a game-high 23 points, while senior forward Jerrah Young produced his best outing as a collegian with 20 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots in his final home game. Junior guard Carlos Medlock paced the Eagles' attack with 20 points.
“I was going to do everything in my power to come away with a ?W' tonight,” Young said. “I tried to play with a lot of energy with all my family here from Chicago. It feels good and I'll have many happy memories about this night.”
The Rockets appeared to be cruising to an easy win after junior guard Ridley Johnson's two free throws gave UT a 46-29 advantage with 16:09 to play. But then the Eagles went on a 25-7 run to take a 54-53 lead with 6:37 remaining.
“I was very disappointed that we gave up that big of a lead,” Toledo Head Coach Stan Joplin said. “”We didn't play smart basketball and you want to put away a team when you have a big lead like that. We didn't play with a killer instinct and that's what you need to have.”
Junior guard Anthony Byrd and Medlock then traded three-point field goals before Kent's two free throws gave UT back a lead it would not relinquish. Toledo connected on 12 of its last 13 attempts from the charity stripe to help secure the victory.
“We played with poise down the stretch and that was good to see,” Joplin said. “We were able to come up with some key baskets and make some defensive stops.”
Toledo will close out its regular season with a trip to Mt. Pleasant, MI to face Central Michigan (13-15, 8-7 MAC) on Sunday, Mar. 9. UT will then head to Cleveland, OH form the MAC Tournament on Mar. 12-15. The Rockets currently possess the No. 9 seed and would meet No. 8 seed Bowling Green in the first round if the season ended today.
