SETTING THE SCENE
   Toledo (19-9, 11-4 MAC) looks to bounce back after suffering consecutive defeats for the first time in over two months when it hosts Central Michigan (16-12, 5-10 MAC) on Friday, February 23 in Savage Arena. Tip-off time from Savage Arena is 6:30 p.m. with the game being televised live nationally on the CBS Sports Network.
    UT holds a one-game lead in the Mid-American Conference's West Division over Ball State (19-9, 10-5 MAC) and trails Buffalo (20-8, 12-3 MAC) by a single game for the league's best record. The Rockets have already clinched a first-round bye in the 2018 MAC Tournament on Thursday-Saturday, March 8-10 and could earn a No. 1, 2, 3 or 4 seed in the post-season event. UT has received a bye in the conference tournament in three of the last five years.
       Senior Tre'Shaun Fletcher led five Rockets in double figures in Tuesday's 85-79 setback at Eastern Michigan with 21 points. He was joined in double figures by junior Jaelan Sanford (16 pts.), sophomore Luke Knapke (14 pts.), junior Nate Navigato (11 pts.) and sophomore Willie Jackson (11 pts.). Jackson also grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds to register his second double-double as a Rocket and helped UT to a 33-31 advantage on the glass.
QUICK HITTERS
•  The Rockets are one win away from their third 20-win campaign in the last five years under Coach Kowalczyk and 21st in program history.
•  Fletcher is the lone individual to appear in the MAC's Top 10 in points, rebounds and assists with 18.7 ppg (3rd), 8.4 rpg (3rd) and 4.1 apg (6th). Fletcher also topped the 1,000-career point mark at EMU and now has 1,003 points in his collegiate career.
•  Sanford ranks seventh in the MAC with 16.4 ppg, while freshman Marreon Jackson is second with a 43.0 3PTFG%. Navigato is fourth with a 41.7 3PTFG% and fifth with 2.7 treys per game, and Knapke is fourth with a 57.6 FG% and 1.6 bpg.
•  As a team, Toledo ranks 21st nationally (as of Feb. 20) with its 39.9 3PTFG% and also tops the MAC with its 1.3 assist/turnover ratio and 28.0 defensive rebounds per game. The Rockets are also tied for first with a 46.9 FG% and second with 79.7 ppg and 15.6 apg.
•  Central Michigan has won conference road games over Bowling Green, Northern Illinois and Ohio and leads the nation with its 80.2 FT%.
•  Junior guard Shawn Roundtree tops the Chippewas with 15.0 ppg and tallied 29 points vs. UT in the Rockets' 93-82 triumph in Mt. Pleasant on Jan. 13.
•  Toledo tied its season high with 14 treys at CMU in the teams' first meeting. Fletcher (22 pts.), Sanford (21 pts.) and Navigato (18 pts.) paced the Rockets' attack in the win.
POST-GAME NOTES FROM TOLEDO'SÂ LOSS AT EASTERN MICHIGAN
• The last time UT lost back-to-back games was to Marshall (Dec. 9) and Wright State (Dec. 16).
• Toledo lost for just the second time in 18 games this season when leading at halftime. UT's previous loss came after leading Wright State by a single point.
• The Rockets' eight three-point field goals 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 but 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.
• Junior Jaelan Sanford tied his season high with four treys and has a 46.7 3FG% (7-of-15) in his last three games.
• Sophomore Luke Knapke dished out a career-high five assists but didn't block a shot in a league contest for the first time this season.
• Sophomore Willie Jackson grabbed a career-high 12 boards and is averaging 10.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg and 3.0 apg in two games since missing five contests due to a shoulder injury.
