Toledo Outlasts UC-Irvine to Win Gulf Coast Showcase, 67-60

Wednesday, November 21

Estero, Fla.

7:30 p.m.

University of Toledo

5-1

UC-Irvine

6-1

Toledo

UC Irvine

Toledo posted a 67-60 win over UC-Irvine to win the Gulf Coast Showcase.

Toledo Outlasts UC-Irvine to Win Gulf Coast Showcase, 67-60

11/21/2018 11:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Final Stats (PDF)

ESTERO, Fla. – Toledo brought home the Gulf Coast Showcase title Wednesday night by rallying from a seven-point halftime deficit to post a 67-60 victory over a previously unbeaten UC-Irvine (6-1) squad. The victory improved the Rockets' record to 5-1.

Senior Jaelan Sanford led UT tonight with 18 points and a career-high eight rebounds and was named tournament Most Valuable Player. Junior Luke Knapke was the Rockets' only other double-digit scorer, finishing with 17 points and six rebounds to earn a spot on the all-tournament team.

Toledo registered another stifling defensive showing by limiting the Anteaters to a 37.5 field-goal percentage and a 4-of-19 effort behind the three-point arc.

UT shot just 43.5 percent from the field but made its shots when it counted. After posting a 28.1 FG% in the first half, the Rockets converted 60.0 percent in the final 20 minutes.

Junior John Edgar Jr. led UC-Irvine with 16 points.

Toledo will return to action when it hosts North Alabama in Savage Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 28. Tip-off time is set for 7:00 p.m.

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST HALF

Toledo started strong by jumping out to a 12-6 lead thanks to six points from Luke Knapke in the first five minutes.
UC-Irvine answered with an 8-0 spurt to take an 18-15 lead at the 9:51 mark. UT committed three of its first four turnovers in the game during this stretch.
Senior Chris Darrington hit a three-pointer to even the score at 23-23 with 5:59 to play but that were the Rockets' last points of the opening stanza.
After a three-minute scoreless stretch, the Anteaters closed out the half with a 7-0 spurt.

SECOND HALF

Toledo cut its seven-point halftime deficit to three points on four occasions in the second half but didn't take lead until back-to-back treys from sophomore Dylan Alderson and freshman AJ Edu put UT in front, 41-38, with 13:19 to play.
Alderson's and Edu's three-pointers were part of a 12-0 spurt that also included a pair of basket from Darrington and a Sanford layup.
A Knapke layup extended the Rockets' lead to 49-42 with 10:05 left and Toledo's lead didn't dip below four points the rest of the way.
Sanford and Knapke each drained big three-pointers down the stretch to extend UT's lead to as many as 10 points.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Jaelan Sanford has scored in double digits in all six games this season.
Toledo registered a 40-37 rebounding advantage and is 5-0 when outrebounding its opponent.
The Rockets did not have four or more players score in double figures for the first time this season.
Toledo registered its third tournament title under Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk.
UT shot 6-of-17 from three-point range with six different Rockets hitting a trey.
All nine Rockets who played in tonight's game scored at least three points.