TOLEDO, OH - Just when it appeared Toledo was on the verge of snapping its 10-game losing streak on Saturday evening in Savage Arena, the Rockets were handed a heartbreaking 75-70 (OT) setback by Northern Illinois (8-19, 4-10 MAC).  

UT (4-25, 1-13 MAC) held a 60-56 advantage with two minutes left in regulation following back-to-back three-point field goals by junior G Jay Shunnar but was unable to get the defensive stops it needed down the stretch.

Shunnar was one of four Rockets to score in double figures, finishing the contest with 12 points. Sophomore G Malcolm Griffin led Toledo with 17 points with senior F Anthony Wright (12 pts.) and freshman C Delino Dear (10 pts.) also reaching double digits.  Dear also grabbed a career-best 12 rebounds to notch his second double-double.

Junior F Tim Toler topped Northern Illinois offensively with 19 points and was followed by senior G Jeremy Landers (14 pts.) and junior G DeMarcus Grady (11 pts.).

Toledo committed just nine turnovers, the fewest it has committed in a conference contest this season, but was outrebounded by a 46-39 margin and shot just 34.5 percent from the field. The Rockets did a good job defensively on the Huskies by limiting them to a 39.7 shooting mark.

Shunnar's three-point play provided UT with a two-point edge, 63-61, with 1:06 remaining and redshirt freshman G Antone Christian made just one of two free throws on NIU's ensuing possession. Freshman G Zack Leahy then had a chance to give the Rockets a three-point lead but made just one of two from the charity stripe with 16 seconds remaining. Junior F Tyler Storm sent the game into overtime on a putback with six seconds remaining. Shunnar had a good look on a three-pointer to win the game but it rimmed out at the buzzer.

Toledo was never able to obtain a lead in the extras session.  Griffin's trey tied the score at 67 apiece at the 3:44 mark and was UT's only basket in overtime. Christian's layup and Landers' two free throws then gave NIU a 71-67 cushion with 2:32 remaining. A Shunnar free throw brought the Rockets within 73-70 with 55 seconds left, but the Huskies grabbed two offensive boards on their next possession before Toler's layup sealed the game with nine seconds remaining.

Toledo will be back in action when it closes out its home schedule on Tuesday, March 1 against Central Michigan (9-19, 6-8 MAC).  Tip-off time is set for 7:00 p.m. in Savage Arena.