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Senior Nate Navigato scored 17 points and hit five threes in UT's 77-64 win over Louisiana.
77
Winner Toledo TOLEDO 4-1
64
Louisiana LA 2-3
Winner
Toledo TOLEDO
4-1
77
Final
64
Louisiana LA
2-3
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Toledo TOLEDO 33 44 77
Louisiana LA 32 32 64

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Strong Second Half Sends Toledo to 77-64 Victory over Louisiana

ESTERO, Fla. – Toledo shot 62.1 percent in the second half to pull away from a talented Louisiana squad en route to a 77-64 victory on Tuesday evening in the Gulf Coast Showcase semifinals. The victory moved the Rockets (4-1) into the tournament's championship game tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. vs. UC-Irvine (6-0).

Toledo utilized a balanced attack once again with seniors Nate Navigato and Jaelan Sanford leading the way with 17 points apiece. Junior Willie Jackson tallied 13 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for his third double-double of the season, while sophomore Marreon Jackson had 11 points and a game-high five assists.

UT shot 52.7 percent from the field, including a red-hot 62.1 percent in the final 20 minutes. The Rockets also knocked down 10-of-22 shots (45.5 percent) behind the three-point arc and 9-of-12 free-throw attempts (75.0 percent).

Toledo's defense was strong throughout, holding the defending Sun Belt Conference regular-season champions to identical 36.1 percent shooting marks in both the first and second halves. UT also limited the Ragin' Cajuns to a 4-of-22 showing (18.2 percent) from three-point range. Louisiana entered the contest averaging an impressive 88.2 ppg to go along with a 50.0 FG% and a 41.2 three-point FG%.

Senior forward JaKeenan Gant led Louisiana with 16 points and nine rebounds.

The Rockets controlled the glass by a 44-31 margin thanks to Jackson's energy on the boards. Jackson's effort was needed even more tonight with junior Luke Knapke being plagued with foul trouble most of the game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST HALF
  • Toledo ran out to a 9-0 lead by forcing Louisiana to miss its first nine shots. After Jaelan Sanford scored UT's first two baskets, Luke Knapke sank two free throws and Nate Navigato buried a three-pointer.
  • Louisiana climbed back into the game with a 13-0 spurt to take its first lead, 19-18, with 8:07 remaining in the opening stanza.
  • UT quickly answered with a 7-2 spurt that included three free throws from AJ Edu and baskets from Navigato and Marreon Jackson.
  • Toledo couldn't expand its lead by more than five points the remainder of the half and held a 33-32 advantage at intermission.
SECOND HALF
  • Toledo matched its quick start to open the game with a 9-0 burst to take a 51-38 lead with 14:56 remaining. A Navigato three-pointer ignited the run, and Sanford followed with a four-point play. Willie Jackson capped it off with a layup thanks to a nice feed from Knapke.
  • Louisiana trimmed the Rockets' lead to 53-43 with 12:39 left but sophomore Spencer Littleson buried a corner trey to end the Ragin' Cajuns rally attempt.
  • UT saw its lead diminish to 60-53 with 7:45 to play but responded with a 13-0 spurt to put the game away. Marreon Jackson opened the decisive run with a layup, and senior Chris Darrington knocked down a three to extend UT's lead to double digits. A pair of Navigato threes sandwiched by a Sanford dunk capped off the outburst.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
  • Toledo will be looking to win its third tournament championship under Coach Kowalczyk.
  • Toledo has made 10 or more three-point field goals in four consecutive games.
  • Four or more Rockets have scored in double digits in every game this season.
  • UT has shot 75.0 percent or better from the free-throw line in every game this season.
  • The Rockets have registered a 50.0 field-goal percentage or higher in four of five contests.
  • Toledo has outrebounded its opponents in four of five games this season.
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