TOLEDO, Ohio – Senior forward Tre'Shaun Fletcher enjoyed a career night in Savage Arena on Tuesday evening to lead Toledo to a 72-62 victory over NCAA Division III foe Ohio Northern. The victory was the second for the Rockets in a season-opening three-game homestand that concludes vs. Horizon League favorite Oakland on Saturday at 7:00 p.m.

Fletcher, who was playing just his second game in a Midnight Blue and Gold uniform after transferring from Colorado, registered career highs with 27 points and 10 rebounds and matched his career best with seven assists. He also knocked down 10-of-17 shots from the field and grabbed two steals in 37 minutes of action.

Junior forward Nate Navigato and junior guard Jaelan Sanford joined Fletcher in double figures with 18  and 13 points, respectively. Sophomore center Luke Knapke paced the Rockets on the boards with a career-high 11 rebounds.

Senior Nate Burger paced the visitors with 23 points in addition to grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out seven assists in 40 minutes. Junior center Ryan Bruns also contributed 15 points and a game-high 12 boards.

After shooting over 50 percent from the field and three-point range in Saturday's season-opening victory over Saint Joseph's, Toledo couldn't carry over its hot shooting to tonight's contest. UT shot just 7-of-26 (26.9 percent) from three-point range tonight after burying 14-of-25 three-point attempts in its opener.

Ohio Northern shot only 34.3 percent from the field but was able to convert 11-of-35 shots (31.4 percent) from behind the three-point arc.

The Polar Bears' largest advantage was 21-15 at the 9:44 mark of the first half before the Rockets responded with a 14-2 spurt to take the lead for good.

After ONU cut Toledo's lead to 36-35 at intermission, Fletcher opened the second half with a trey and fed Knapke for a slam to put UT up six. Freshman guard Marreon Jackson followed with another three-pointer and the Rockets appeared ready to pull away.

That wasn't the case though as Toledo wasn't able to establish more than a 10-point cushion in the final 20 minutes. The Polar Bears clawed to within 64-62 on junior forward Daniel Donner's three with 3:19 to play, but Navigato immediately answered with a trey of his own on UT's ensuing possession.

Fletcher then extended the Rockets' lead to 69-62 with a pair of free throws just over a minute later to seal the win.


Highlights from UT's victory over ONU.


Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk post-game.


Senior Tre'Shaun Fletcher post-game.