TOLEDO VS. KENT STATE GAME INFORMATION
Date: Tuesday, January 22, 2019.
Tip-Off: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Kent, Ohio.
Arena: M.A.C. Center (6,327).
Television: ESPN-Plus. Ty Linder will provide play-by-play for broadcast with Tanner Castora serving as analyst.
Radio: Rocket Radio Network. WSPD (1370 AM) in Toledo. Brent Balbinot will provide play-by-play for broadcast with Jay Lehman serving as analyst.
 
SERIES
   Toledo leads 83-48. UT has split its last four contests vs. KSU in the M.A.C. Center after dropping six in a row in the facility.

SETTING THE SCENE
       Toledo (15-3, 3-2 MAC) looks to stretch its winning streak to four when it visits MAC East Division foe Kent State (14-4, 3-2 MAC) on Tuesday, Jan. 22 at the M.A.C. Center. The lone meeting of the season between the two schools will be streamed on ESPN-Plus at 7:00 p.m.
       The Rockets rebounded from an 0-2 start in league action with an 85-77 win at Western Michigan and a pair of double-digit home wins over Miami (71-59) and Ohio (75-52). Toledo is currently tied for first place in the MAC's West Division with Central Michigan (14-4, 3-2) and Northern Illinois (10-8, 3-2).
        Junior Luke Knapke scored all of his game-high 16 points in the first half and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Toledo to its win over the Bobcats. Sophomore Marreon Jackson and senior Jaelan Sanford each added 14 points for the Rockets.
       Knapke hit 7-of-8 shots in the opening 20 minutes as Toledo led by as many as 23 points in the first half. Ohio was able to cut its deficit to 10 in the second half but never seriously challenged the Rockets. UT held Ohio to a 32.2 FG% and outrebounded the Bobcats, 39-32. Freshman AJ Edu paced the defense with five blocked shots in just 14 minutes of play.
       UT posted a 72-65 home win over Kent State last year. The game was tied at 61 with 4:05 remaining before UT scored six straight. Kevin Zabo's layup cut the Rockets' lead to 67-65 with 19.9 ticks left but UT closed out the win by making five of six free throws.
       The Golden Flashes bring a two-game win streak into Tuesday's contest following victories over Ohio (66-52) on the road and Northern Illinois (78-68) at home.
 
POST TOUCHES
•  Nate Navigato ranks second nationally with a MAC-best 49.5 three-point FG% and is tied for second in the MAC with 2.9 treys per game. He hit two treys vs. Ohio last Friday to surpass the Rockets' school record of 276 held by Nick Moore (1999-2003).
•  Toledo's 12-1 start to the season was its best since opening 12-1 in its 2013-14.
•  UT ranks fifth nationally (as of Jan. 19) with its 78.8 FT%. The Rockets also rank in the Top 30 nationally in assist/turnover ratio (1.47/12th), fewest personal fouls per game (15.1/15th), 3PTFGs per game (10.2/16th), assists per game (17.3/17th), defensive rebounds per game (29.3/17th), win percentage (83.3/21st), three-point FG% (38.6/26th) and scoring margin (12.6/30th).
•  UT leads the MAC in FT% (78.8), three-point FGs per game (10.2) and three-point FG% (38.6).
•  Jaelan Sanford leads the MAC with an 87.8 FT% and is sixth with a team-high 16.7 ppg. The Evansville, Ind. native ranks ninth on UT's all-time scoring list with 1,576 points, sixth with 215 career treys and 10th with an 80.6 career free-throw percentage.
•  Navigato has connected for three or more three-pointers in 11 of 18 games and has hit a season-high five three-pointers on five occasions. He scored a season-high 21 points and connected on 5-of-7 three-point field-goal attempts at Western Michigan (Jan. 12).
•  Willie Jackson ranks second in the MAC and 19th nationally with 10.1 rpg. He has seven double-doubles and has led or shared the team lead in rebounding on 14 occasions.
•  Four Rockets rank in the MAC's Top 10 in 3PTFG% — Nate Navigato (49.5/1st), Luke Knapke (44.9/3rd), Chris Darrington (39.7/9th) and Spencer Littleson (39.6/10th)— and Toledo also has the top two leaders in FT% - Jaelan Sanford (87.8/1st) and Chris Darrington (82.2/2nd).
•  Marreon Jackson is tied for third in the MAC with 4.7 assists per game and followed up a season-high 20-point outing at Buffalo (Jan 8) with a 15-point, nine-assist effort at Western Michigan (Jan. 12). He ranks second on the team in league play with 13.4 ppg.
•  Luke Knapke is third in the MAC with a 44.9 three-point FG% (22-of-49). Knapke scored a career-best 20 points at Wright State (Nov. 14) thanks to a 6-of-6 effort behind the three-point arc. He is the only Rocket to score in double digits in UT's first five MAC contests, including a team-high 16 points and nine boards vs. Ohio (Jan. 18).
•  Chris Darrington comes off the bench and ranks fourth on the team with a 10.4 scoring mark and scored a career-high 21 points at Buffalo (Jan. 8). He is one of six Rockets averaging 9.7 ppg or higher and leads UT in free throws made (60) and free throws attempted (73).
•  Darrington and NIU's Levi Bradley are the only players in the MAC to rank in the MAC's Top 10 in both FT percentage and three-point FG%.
•  AJ Edu leads the MAC with 1.9 blocks per game and is averaging a conference-best 3.0 bpg in league play. He has registered a season-high five rejections vs. Cornell (Dec. 19), Ball State (Jan. 4) and Ohio (Jan. 18) as well as three at Buffalo (Jan. 8).
 
SOME TEAM STATISTICAL TIDBITS
•  11 of UT's 15 wins have been by 11 points or more.
•  Prior to its home loss to Ball State on Jan. 4, the Rockets had won their first seven home games for the first time since winning all 15 home contests in their 2013-14 campaign.
•  Toledo has seven different players shooting 73.3 percent or better from the free-throw line. Nate Navigato leads the way with a 94.4 FT% (17-of-18).
•  Toledo has had at least four players score in double digits in 15 of 18 contests and has had five players score in double figures on five occasions.
•  Toledo is 12-1 when outrebounding its opponent.
•  Toledo have held double-digit rebounding advantages against seven opponents, including a plus-25 effort vs. Detroit Mercy (Dec. 5) and a plus-22 outing vs. Cornell (Dec. 19).
•  At least five different Rockets have made three-point field goals in 15 of 18 games.
•  Toledo is 9-2 in games decided by five points or less since the start of last season.

LEFTOVER NOTES FROM THE OHIO GAME
•  The victory was the Rockets' third straight over the Bobcats with a combined average margin of victory of 21.7 ppg. UT posted a 91-57 road win and an 82-74 home victory last year.
•  Luke Knapke is the only Rocket to score in double digits in each of Toledo's five league games.
•  Seven different Rockets connected for a three-point field goal vs. the Bobcats.
•  The Rockets are 13-0 when leading at halftime, 10-0 when shooting 45 percent or better and 12-0 when holding their opponent under 45 percent. UT is also 14-1 when scoring 80 or more points and 14-1 when holding its opponent under 80 points.
 
SOME INFO ON THE ROCKETS' OPPONENT
       Kent State ranks ninth in the MAC with a 44.2 FG% and is 10th in FG% defense with an identical 44.2 percentage. The Golden Flashes are third with a 71.0 free-throw percentage.
       Senior guard Jaylin Walker is averaging a team-high 22.5 ppg, but doesn't rank first in MAC scoring due to playing in only 13 contests. Senior guard Jalen Avery ranks second in team scoring at 12.2 ppg and leads the nation with a 5.92 assist/turnover ratio.
 
DEFENSE! DEFENSE!
        Toledo ranks second in the Mid-American Conference in three-point FG% defense (31.1) and scoring defense (68.1) and is third in field-goal percentage defense (41.0).
        Last year, UT ranked seventh in scoring defense (74.5) and fifth in field-goal percentage defense (43.7) and three-point FG% defense (34.3).
 
ON THE HORIZON
UT will return home to host Central Michigan (14-4, 3-2 MAC) on Saturday, Jan. 26. Tip-off time from Savage Arena is set for 7:00 p.m.