Rockets Fall to Buffalo, 76-66, in MAC Championship Game

Saturday, March 10

Cleveland, Ohio

7:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

23-11

No. 1 Buffalo

26-8

Toledo

Buffalo

Junior guard Jaelan Sanford scored a team-high 19 points vs. Buffalo in the MAC Championship Game.

Photo by: Toledo Athletics

Rockets Fall to Buffalo, 76-66, in MAC Championship Game

3/10/2018 9:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Final Stats (PDF)Photo Gallery

Cleveland, Ohio – A valiant effort by a gritty Toledo team came up short as the Rockets fell to Buffalo, 76-66, in the championship game of the Mid-American Conference Men's Basketball Tournament action at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland on Saturday.

Toledo (23-11) was led by junior guard Jaelan Sanford's 19 points. Freshman guard Marreon Jackson added 13 points, while sophomore forward Willie Jackson contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Sanford and Marreon Jackson each were named to the all-tournament team.

The Rockets will have to wait until Sunday night to find out if their season will continue in post-season play.

Playing without MAC Player of the Year Tre'Shaun Fletcher, the Rockets stuck with No. 1 seed Buffalo (26-8) most of the way until a 9-0 Bull run late in the game broke open a close game. Marreon Jackson's three-pointer tied it at 63-63 with 5:32 left. But Buffalo's Wes Clark hit a jumper and a pair of free throws, followed by three-pointer and a layup from Nick Perkins to open a lead that Toledo could not counter. The Rockets were only able to score three points in the final five minutes of play, sealing their fate.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Half

Marreon Jackson picked up where he left off from yesterday's semifinal game, making his first two outside shots in the opening minutes to put UT up, 7-3.
Toledo moved out to a 14-10 lead on a Jaelan Sanford three-pointer with 12:33 left. Over the next seven minutes, UT's lead fluctuated from between one and three points.
Buffalo took the lead, 24-23, at the 4:48 mark on a dunk by Ikenna Smart. Moments later, the Bulls went up, 28-23, on a mid-range jumper by Wes Clark, forcing UT to call timeout with 2:47 left.
Sanford and Jackson had eight points apiece in the first half, as UT trailed 34-29.

Second Half

Buffalo extended the lead to 42-32 following a Wes Clark layup with 17:39 left.
Toledo took advantage of a UB technical foul to hit four consecutive free throws and cut the lead to 42-38 with 16:36 to play.
Toledo pulled to within two points, 49-47, with 11:26 left but Buffalo's Jeremy Harris immediately answered with a three-pointer to put UB's lead back up to five.
Nate Navigato's triple with 8:21 left again cut the margin to two, 57-55, with 8:21 left.
Marreon Jackson tied it up, 63-63, on a three-pointer from the corner with 5:32 left.
Buffalo pulled ahead with a 9-0 run to make it 72-63 with 1:45 remaining.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Toledo shot 36.8 percent (21-of-57) from the floor and 7-of-22 (31.8%) from three-point range.
The Rockets had a season-low seven assists.
Luke Knapke grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds and blocked a school MAC Tournament record four shots for a second straight game.
Marreon Jackson tied his career high with three steals.

Highlights from the MAC Tournament Championship Game.

Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk post-game.

Juniors Jaelan Sanford and Nate Navigato post-game.