YPSILANTI, MI – Eastern Michigan's scorching first-half shooting proved to be too much for Toledo to overcome on Saturday afternoon in the Rockets' 91-85 setback to the Eagles at the Convocation Center.

UT (16-11, 7-7 MAC) remains tied with Central Michigan (14-13, 7-7 MAC) and Northern Illinois (18-9, 7-7 MAC) for second place in the MAC's West Division but trails first-place Ball State (18-9, 9-5 MAC) by two games. The Rockets will host the Cardinals on Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. in Savage Arena.

EMU (14-13, 7-7 MAC ) shot 76.7 percent in the opening 20 minutes to finish with a 68.0 shooting mark (34-of-50) from the field, the highest FG% by a UT opponent since Northern Illinois registered a 65.0 FG% on Jan. 24, 2006. The Eagles also notched a 68.8 3PTFG% (11-of-16) and a 75.0 FT% (12-of-16).

Toledo enjoyed a solid offensive outing as well with a 50.8 FG%, 41.2 three-point FG% (7-of-17) and 84.2 FT% (16-of-19). The Rockets committed just nine turnovers compared to the Eagles' total of 16 miscues.

Junior guard Jonathan Williams scored 24 points and also tied for the team high with five assists to lead UT's offense. Joining Williams in double digits was senior center Nathan Boothe (16 pts.), junior forward Zach Garber (10 pts., team-high seven boards) and sophomore guard Stuckey Mosley (10 pts., five asst.).

Four Eagles scored in double digits as well with senior forward Brandon Nazione setting the pace with 21 points. Junior guards Willie Mangum IV, Ray Lee and Ty Toney  tallied 19, 18 and 17 points, respectively.

Toledo never led in the contest but fought back from a 56-42 halftime deficit by scoring the first 10 points of the second stanza to cut the hosts' lead to 56-52. UT then fell behind by 11 points and didn't creep any closer until junior guard Jordan Lauf's trey reduced EMU's advantage to 71-67 with 7:17 to play.

Mangum IV's trey at the 5:30 mark boosted EMU's cushion back to seven points, 76-69, but a Williams' three pointer followed by a pair of Garber free throws sliced UT's deficit to two points, 76-74, with 4:06 remaining.

Toney's jumper a minute later put Toledo back down four, but Mosley's three-point play made it a one-point game, 78-77 with 2:28 to play.

Sophomore guard Tim Bond drilled a deep trey to restore EMU's lead back to four points, 81-77, with 2:03 left.  UT could never get closer than two points the rest of the way as the Eagles hit eight straight free throws to close out the win.


Post-Game Comments


Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk


Junior Guard Jordan Lauf


Junior Guard Jonathan Williams