TOLEDO, Ohio -  The Toledo men's basketball team will play its first of two exhibition contests this month when it hosts Hillsdale (Mich.) College in an exhibition contest in Savage Arena on Saturday, Oct. 19. Tip-off time is set for 7:00 p.m. Admission and parking are free for the game. The Rockets will also visit the University of Findlay on Sunday, Oct. 27 in their final tuneup for the 2019-20 campaign.
  
"I always like playing Hillsdale in our exhibition games," said Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk. "They help prepare us for our season. They are extremely well-coached and terrific in motion. They will certainly exploit any weaknesses we have, and they will give us a lot of things to work on so we can get better. It's going to be a very good challenge for us."

Kowalczyk is entering his 10^th season at the Rockets' helm and has guided Toledo to four 20-win campaigns in the last six years, marking the first time for this accomplishment since Bob Nichols recorded five straight seasons of 20-plus victories from 1976-81. The Rockets' 66 MAC victories over the last six seasons rank second in the league.

Toledo posted a 25-8 record in 2018-19, a season that included a MAC West Division title and an NIT berth.  The Rockets return three starters from last year's squad – junior Marreon Jackson (11.7 ppg, 4.2 apg), senior Luke Knapke (10.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and senior Willie Jackson (8.5 ppg, team-high 8.9 rpg) – as well as junior Spencer Littleson (4.2 ppg).

Hillsdale is a NCAA Division II program located in Hillsdale, Mich. that has finished with a .500 record or better in each season under 13^th-year head coach John Tharp. The Chargers return their top two scorers from last year's 19-10 squad. Senior guard Dylan Lowry is Hillsdale's leading returning scorer with 13.2 ppg and a team-best 2.6 apg, while junior forward Davis Larson is also back after averaging 12.3 ppg with a team-leading 46.3 three-point FG% (31-of-67).

The Rockets' meeting with the Chargers in exhibition play will be their fourth in the last seven years. Toledo posted an 85-84 (OT) triumph in 2013, a 100-99 (2OT) victory in 2015 and a 72-63 win last season.

Toledo opens its regular season with road games at Valparaiso on Tuesday, Nov. 5 and Marshall on Sunday, Nov. 10. The Rockets will host Robert Morris in their first home game on Saturday, Nov. 16.