YPSILANTI, Mich. - Toledo dropped back-to-back decisions in conference play for the first time this season on Tuesday evening following an 85-79 setback at Eastern Michigan. The loss dropped the Rockets' overall record to 19-9 and 11-4 in Mid-American Conference action. UT still holds a one-game lead in the MAC's West Division over Ball State (19-9, 10-5 MAC) and trails Buffalo (20-8, 12-3 MAC) by a single game in the overall standings.

Senior guard Tre'Shaun Fletcher led five Rockets in double figures with 21 points. He was joined in double figures by junior guard Jaelan Sanford (16 pts.), sophomore center Luke Knapke (14 pts.), junior forward Nate Navigato (11 pts.) and sophomore forward Willie Jackson (11 pts.).

Jackson also grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds to register his second double-double as a Rocket and help UT to a 33-31 advantage on the glass.

The junior frontcourt duo of forward Elijah Minnie and center James Thompson IV paced the Eagles with 23 points apiece and combined to shoot 19-of-25 from the field. EMU's victory was its fifth in last six contests and improved its overall record to 17-11 overall and 8-7 in league play.
 
TOLEDO HEAD COACH TOD KOWALCZYK:
"Our ball movement was very good in the first half and then in the second half our offensive flow wasn't as good. Eastern Michigan is a good team with great athletes and good finishers and was able to get some easy baskets in transition. We have a tremendously resilient team and we'll be fine. It's the first time we've faced any real adversity in conference play, and I'm confident that our guys will bounce back."

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Toledo took its first double-digit lead at 25-14 with 10:19 remaining in the first half following an 11-2 run. Putbacks from Knapke and Willie Jackson culminated the spurt for the Rockets.
• Knapke's three-point play with 9:55 to play in the first half provided the Rockets with a 28-16 advantage, their largest lead in the contest.
• Toledo didn't commit its first turnover until the 9:02 mark of the first half. UT then committed three more miscues on its next four possessions as EMU cut its deficit in half, 31-25, with 6:54 left in the opening stanza.
• The Eagles clawed back to within two points, 41-39, on a Bond three-pointer 2:09 before intermission but Sanford answered with a deep trey on the ensuing possession.
• Eastern Michigan took its first lead with 17:28 remaining on a Thompson layup. UT answered with five straight points thanks to a Knapke layup and Sanford trey.
• EMU grabbed control of the contest with an 8-0 spurt to take a 70-62 advantage with 6:44 to play. Dunks from Thompson and Minnie highlight the game-change burst.
• The closest Toledo came the rest of the way was six points.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Toledo lost back-to-back games for the first time in over two months when it lost consecutive home games to Marshall (Dec. 9) and Wright State (Dec. 16).
• Fletcher topped the 1,000-career point plateau and now has 1,003 points as a collegian.
• Toledo lost for just the second time in 18 games this season when leading at halftime.
• The Rockets' eight three-point field goals tonight moved them into first place in UT's single-season record book with 268. UT was 6-of-7 from behind the arc in the first half and just 2-of-14 in the second stanza.
• UT shot 50.0 percent in the game but could only muster a 40.6 shooting mark in the second half. The Rockets are now 14-3 when shooting 45 percent or higher from the field.
• Eastern Michigan's 55.7 FG% was the highest by a conference opponent this season.

 
UP NEXT

• The Rockets will play two of their final three contests in Savage Arena, beginning with a 6:30 p.m. matchup vs. MAC West Division foe Central Michigan. UT posted a 93-82 victory over Chippewas on Jan. 13 and will look to sweep the season series vs. CMU for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign.