Toledo Heading to Kalamazoo to Battle Broncos on Wednesday
2/22/2011 4:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
TOLEDO, OH - Toledo returns to conference action when it visits MAC West Division co-leader Western Michigan (15-11, 7-5 MAC) on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at University Arena. Tip-off time is set for 7:00 p.m.
The shorthanded Rockets (4-23, 1-11 MAC) are coming off a 75-58 non-conference setback at home to Eastern Illinois on Saturday. UT ran out of gas in the second half against the Panthers as a result of utilizing just five scholarship and eight total players in the contest.
Freshman G Reese Holliday has now joined freshman G J.T. Thomas on the Rockets' injured list with season-ending injuries. A solid candidate for the MAC's All-Freshman Team, Holliday was leading the team with 6.6 rpg and ranked second with 10.5 ppg.
Junior G Jay Shunnar topped Toledo offensively against EIU with 16 points, one shy of his career-best 17 points at IPFW earlier this season. Senior F Justin Anyijong was also in double figures with 12 points, while sophomore G Malcolm Griffin dished out a game-high eight assists.
Junior G Jeremy Granger was one of four Panthers to score in double figures and finished a game-high 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
The visitors never trailed in the contest and were able to answer each attempted rally by the Rockets. Toledo's last run came early in the second half when it climbed to within a single point at 35-34. A five-minute scoreless drought ensued, though, and UT found itself down 47-34 with 12:45 remaining. The Rockets could not come closer than six points the rest of the way.
Griffin leads Toledo with a 12.9 scoring average and is also topping the team with 4.0 apg, 1.4 spg and a 39.2 three-point field goal percentage.
WMU, who will be looking to avenge a 73-60 setback to the Rockets on Jan. 19, is led offensively by inside-outside tandem of junior G Demetrius Ward (14.5 ppg) and junior F Flenard Whitfield (13.3 ppg).
The Broncos rank second in the MAC with a +3.1 rebounding margin and rank third in scoring (71.5 ppg), FG% (43.9) and FT% (71.2).
GRIFFIN AMONG MAC LEADERS IN CONFERENCE ACTION
Sophomore G Malcolm Griffin is making his mark in the Mid-American Conference this season. He ranks fifth in MAC play with 16.4 ppg, sixth with a 51.3 FG% and seventh with a 44.2 three-point FG% and 4.5 apg.
Griffin followed up a career-high 31-point performance at NIU (Jan. 15) with a 22-point showing vs. WMU (Jan. 19) and back-to-back 25-point efforts vs. Ball State (Jan. 22) and Bowling Green (Jan. 25). He averaged 25.8 ppg with a 52.7 FG% (39-of-74) and 50.0 3PTFG% (10-of-20) during this stretch. He was the first Rocket in over 10 years to register four consecutive 20-point outings or better.
The Chicago, IL native worked a great deal on his shooting stroke over the summer and that time in the gym has paid off. After hitting just 1-of-13 from behind the arc last year, Griffin is shooting a team-best 39.2 percent (29-of-74) from three-point range to rank 12th in the conference and leads the team with 12.9 ppg, 4.0 apg and 1.5 spg.
ROCKETS' DOUBLE-DOUBLE THREAT OUT FOR SEASON
Freshman G Reese Holliday played his final game of the season last Tuesday at Ball State and registered a season-high 18 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. He was diagnosed later in the week with a stress fracture in his right foot that will sideline him the rest of the year.
Holliday, who is a strong candidate for a spot on the MAC's All-Freshman Team, leads the league's freshmen and sophomores and ranks eighth overall with 6.4 rpg and is tied for fourth in double-doubles. He also is sixth in the league with 7.4 rpg in conference games only.
Holliday registered double-digit rebounding totals in three straight games from Dec. 11-21, including double-doubles against Valparaiso (Dec. 11) and Florida Gulf Coast (Dec. 18). Prior to his season-ending injury, he had scored in double figures in eight of his last nine contests.
The Kansas City, KS native is the first Rocket to register double-doubles in back-to-back games since Jerrah Young performed the feat vs. EMU and at CMU on Mar. 4 and Mar. 9, 2008. He also is the first UT player to record double-digit rebound totals in three straight contests in over 10 years (Greg Stempin-Jan. 29-Feb. 5, 2000).
DEAR PROVIDING A PRESENCE IN THE POST
Freshman C Delino Dear gives the Rockets a scoring option down low and ranks third on the team with 8.2 ppg and 4.8 rpg while playing 24.4 mpg.
The Chicago, IL native is second on the team with a 45.3 FG% and 94 free-throw attempts and also has 10 double-digit scoring outings. He is tied for 14th in the MAC with 0.83 blocks per game in league contests only.
Dear registered his first career double-double with season highs in both points (19) and rebounds (10) against Indiana Northwest (Dec. 21).
HUMES PROVIDING BOARDWORK FOR ROCKETS
Redshirt freshman F Hayden Humes has been one of the Rockets' most effective rebounders and ranks second on the team and 20th in the MAC with 5.1 rpg. Humes is scoring 5.2 ppg and is sixth in the MAC with a team-high 79.5 free-throw percentage (58-of-73). Humes saw his streak of 26 consecutive free throws end at NIU on Jan. 15, three shy of the Rockets' school record.
A native of Valparaiso, IN, Humes has registered two double-doubles with 10 points and a career-high 14 rebounds vs. Valparaiso (Dec. 11) and with 12 points and 10 boards against UIC (Nov. 19). He scored a career-high 19 points against WMU (Jan. 19), including 11-of-16 from the charity stripe.
WRIGHT CONNECTING FROM DOWNTOWN
Senior F Anthony Wright has been one of Toledo's top threats from behind the three-point arc. Wright leads UT with 40 treys and possesses a 35.7 three-point field-goal percentage that ranks second on the team.
Wright registered a season-best 4-of-6 three-pointers against CMU on Jan. 12 and has dished out a career-high five assists in three straight games.
ROCKET ROUNDUP
Malcolm Griffin tallied a team-high seven assists and two steals vs. Eastern Illinois and has led the Rockets in those categories on 16 and 13 occasions, respectively...Jay Shunnar tied his career highs with five field goals and three three-point field goals against the Panthers...Justin Anyijong tallied 12 points and has scored in double figures in three of his last four games during which he is averaging 11.8 ppg...Delino Dear tied his season high with five free throws made...Jess Chadwell registered a season-best four points and five rebounds and played a season-high 20 minutes...With Chadwell starting his first game of the season against EIU all 11 Rockets have started a game this year...Toledo now has a 1-7 record in its BracketBuster contests with its only win coming in 2005 with 78-67 home victory over SMU.
ROCKETS SHOWING SIGNS OF PROGRESS
Toledo has shown improvement in different areas since opening the season at No. 13 Illinois on Nov. 10. See below to see how the Rockets are progressing under first-year Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk:
- The Rockets are averaging 20.3 free-throw attempts per game (after averaging 13.8 last year) and have shot the same amount or more free throws than their opponent in 19 of 27 contests this season. UT's opponents are making 16.9 trips to the charity stripe per game, and the Rockets have shot 92 more free throws than their opponents.
- Toledo committed a season-low 10 fouls against Florida Gulf Coast and has committed 53 fewer fouls than its opponents this season.
- UT scored 70 or more points in three straight games (Dec. 11-21) for the first time since topping the mark in five straight contests at the end of the 2006-07 season.
- The Rockets' three-game win streak from Dec. 11-21 was the first time UT has won three in a row since March 4-12, 2008.
FOUR TRANSFERS BODE WELL FOR ROCKETS' FUTURE
Toledo will have four significant parts of its future sitting on its bench and is putting just seven scholarship players on the court during the 2010-11 campaign. Dominique Buckley will have two years of eligibility remaining after transferring into the Rockets' program from Iowa State, while UW-Green Bay transfers Rian Pearson and Matt Smith will each have three seasons to play at UT. Curtis Dennis joined the Rockets at the start of the winter semester from New Mexico and will become eligible at the conclusion of the Fall 2001 semester.
A Romulus, MI native, Buckley played in 27 games last year for the Cyclones and averaged 1.4 points and 0.9 assists. He also shot 40.9 percent (9-of-22) from three-point range in 7.4 minutes per contest. Buckley enjoyed a standout prep career at Romulus High School where he was ranked as the 124th-best player in the country according to ESPN 150 rankings.
A Raytown, MO native, Pearson saw action in 32 contests for the Phoenix in the 2009-10 campaign and averaged 6.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per game. He came on strong at the end of the year, averaging 11.3 points and 4.9 boards over his last seven games. Pearson's top performance came with a career-best 17 points vs. Indiana State on Feb. 20.
Smith started 34 of 35 games for UWGB last year, averaging 3.2 points and 2.1 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per contest. The Whitewright, TX native scored a career-high 13 points in 16 minutes against UW-Milwaukee on Feb. 6. Smith's other top outings came with nine points and six boards at Valparaiso on Jan. 2 and eight points and eight rebounds vs. Loyola (IL) on Dec. 3.
Dennis started the Lobos' first three contests this season and tallied a season-best 12 points in 23 minutes in UNM's season opener vs. Detroit. Dennis was averaging 2.9 ppg in 10 contests this season with his other top effort being a seven-point, three-assist effort vs. Arizona State in the Lobos' second game.
FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA
Toledo's 17-player roster originates from 10 different states across the United States. This year's Rockets hail from Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Texas and Virginia.
BREAKING THE CLASSES DOWN
Justin Anyijong and Anthony Wright are the only seniors the Rockets have on their 2010-11 active roster. UT's junior class includes of walk-ons Drew Rodriguez (injured) and Jay Shunnar with the sophomores consisting of Malcolm Griffin and walk-on Kevin Rohner (injured). Toledo has seven players seeing their first collegiate action this season in redshirt Hayden Humes, three incoming recruits (Delino Dear, Reese Holliday and J.T. Thomas) and three walk-ons (Jess Chadwell, Zack Leahy and Richard Wonnell).
SENIORS: Justin Anyijong, Anthony Wright
JUNIORS: Drew Rodriguez, Jay Shunnar
SOPHOMORES: Malcolm Griffin, Kevin Rohner
FRESHMEN: Jess Chadwell, Delino Dear, Reese Holliday, Hayden Humes, Zack Leahy, J.T. Thomas, Richard Wonnell.
NOTE: Toledo has four transfers sitting out after transferring from NCAA Division I schools. Dominique Buckley (Iowa State) and Curtis Dennis (New Mexico) will have junior eligibility starting in the 2011-12 campaign, and Rian Pearson (UW-Green Bay) and Matt Smith (UW-Green Bay) will be sophomores next year. Dennis will not be eligible until after the Fall 2011 semester.
HELP IS ON WAY FOR ROCKETS WITH TALENTED QUARTET OF NEWCOMERS
Toledo has a talented quartet joining its program for the 2011-12 campaign. Guards Julius "Juice" Brown (Markham, IL), Ryan Majerle (Belmont, MI), A.J. Mathew (Ypsilanti, MI) as well as forward Justin Moss (Romulus, MI) are expected to contribute right away for the Rockets next season.
"I am delighted and extremely excited that these four fine young men have decided to join our program," Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk said. "They're all very good students and come from good families who understand the value of a college degree. In addition to that, the thing I'm probably most excited about is that they are all winners."
A 5-10, 165-pound point guard, Brown played a key role in helping Hillcrest (IL) High School capture its first Class 3A state title in school history last March. A starter since his freshman season, averaged 13.0 points and 6.0 assists per game as a junior as the Hawks posted a 31-3 win-loss mark.
A 6-4, 180-pound shooting guard, Majerle averaged 16.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in his junior campaign to help lead Rockford (MI) High School to its third-straight Class A district title. A starter since his freshman season, he shot 85 percent from the free-throw line and 40 percent from three-point range to earn honorable mention all-state honors as well as a berth on the Grand Rapids Press Dream team.
A 6-3, 185-pound combo guard, Mathew has guided Ann Arbor (MI) Huron High School to a 59-13 win-loss ledger and an appearance in the 2010 Class A State title game since taking over as the team's point guard as a freshman. Mathew led the team with 15.2 ppg and 5.2 rpg and was second with 4.2 apg and 3.1 spg en route to receiving honorable-mention all-state and AnnArbor.com's Player of the Year accolades.
A 6-6, 240-pound power forward, Moss averaged 17.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game last season for Romulus High School, which finished 22-2 and was ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation by USA Today during his senior campaign. In the Eagles' 56-54 victory over #19 nationally ranked Detroit Country Day, Moss scored the winning basket with three seconds remaining.
WALK-ONS CONTRIBUTING FOR ROCKETS
With just five scholarship players now dressing following injuries to freshman G Reese Holliday and freshman G J.T. Thomas, Toledo has four walk-ons that have combined to play 22.9 percent of the team's minutes. Junior G Jay Shunnar leads the way with 4.7 ppg in 20.6 mpg followed by freshman G Zack Leahy with 4.5 ppg in 18.3 mpg. Leahy also ranks third on the team with a .348 3PTFG%.
CHALLENGING START TO THE SEASON
Toledo was the only team in the nation to open the 2010-11 campaign with games against Top-25 opponents. The Rockets dropped an 84-45 decision at No. 13/16 Illinois on Nov. 10 and suffered an 82-49 setback at No. 22 Temple on Nov. 14.
Playing a competitive non-conference schedule is one of Coach Kowalczyk's goals with the Rockets. During his eight-year tenure with the Phoenix, UWGB played a ranked opponent one out of every 15 games. Prior to his arrival, Green Bay faced just a ranked opponent one of every 40 contests.
A CHALLENGING START TO THE SEASON (PART II)
The combined record of Toledo's Division I non-conference opponents is an impressive 198-157 (.558) win-loss mark. Eight of the 13 non-conference opponents that the Rockets have faced have winning records with each of those schools possessing 16 or more victories.
ROCKETS CONTINUING TREND AS ONE OF MAC'S ATTENDANCE LEADERS
Toledo has ranked in the top two of the MAC in attendance four straight seasons and is currently second this year with 4,464 fans per game. The Rockets led the league with 5,751 fans per game in 2006-07 and totaled a conference-best average of 5,610 in 2008-09. UT averaged 3,953 fans in 2009-10 to finish second in the MAC.
SEARCHING FOR A ROAD WIN
The Rockets have lost 44 straight road contests as well as 59 of their last 60 road tilts dating back to the start of the 2007-08 campaign. UT's last road win was a 90-83 (OT) victory at Central Michigan on March 9, 2008.
Toledo's 63-62 loss at UIC on Nov. 28 was the Rockets' lone one-point setback during its current road losing streak that dates back to the start of the 2008-09 campaign. Only nine of its defeats during this stretch have been in single digits with two of those coming this season and five in the 2008-09 campaign.
Coach Kowalczyk posted a 16-14 (.533) win-loss mark at UW-Green Bay over his last two seasons with the Phoenix.
Coaches Wear Bow Ties vs. BGSU in Support of Cancer Research
Toledo Men's Basketball Coach Tod Kowalczyk sported a bow tie when the Rockets faced their arch-rival, Bowling Green on Tuesday in Savage Arena. Kowalczyk, as well as other members of the coaching staff, wore the ties during the game in support of cancer research and funding.
A total of $4,000 was raised from the "Tie One On" event with the proceeds benefitting the Cancer Center at The University of Toledo Medical Center.
ON THE HORIZON
The Rockets will return to Savage Arena for their final two home dates of the season against Northern Illinois (7-18, 3-9 MAC) on Saturday, Feb. 26 and Central Michigan (8-18, 5-7 MAC) on Tuesday, March 1.
