VALPARAISO, Ind. – Toledo's frantic rally in the final minute fell just short on Tuesday evening in the Rockets' 79-77 defeat at Valparaiso in the season opener for both schools.

Junior Marreon Jackson led Toledo with a career-high 27 points and seven assists, including two free throws to knot the score at 77-all with 13 seconds remaining. The Crusaders' Javon Freeman-Liberty broke the deadlock though by hitting a jumper just inside the free-throw line with four seconds left to give Valpo the victory. The Rockets weren't able to get a last-second shot off before the buzzer sounded.

"We fought hard tonight and came back to tie but Valpo made a play at the end," Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk said. "There were a lot of good things I saw out there tonight and also some areas we need to work on. We can learn a lot from a game like this on the road against a quality opponent like Valpo."

Jackson was joined in double figures by redshirt freshman Keshaun Saunders, who tallied 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting in his collegiate debut. Senior Luke Knapke and junior Spencer Littleson also were in double digits with 12 points apiece.

Senior Willie Jackson led the Rockets on the boards with 12 rebounds, but the Crusaders held a 40-31 advantage on the glass.

Senior Ryan Fazekas topped the Crusaders with 23 points with Freeman-Liberty adding 19 points.

Toledo returns to action on Sunday, Nov. 10 with a trip to Huntington, W. Va. to face Marshall. Tip-off time is set for 2:00 p.m.

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST HALF

• Toledo scored the first nine points and led 11-2 before Ryan Fazekas hit a trey to cut the Rockets' lead to 11-7.
• Marreon Jackson and Luke Knapke answered with back-to-back treys to ignite a 10-0 run to put Toledo up 21-7 with 13:28 remaining.
• The Rockets still held a double-digit lead, 29-19, following Knapke's two free throws with 8:19 left in the half.
• Valpo cut its deficit to 29-28 at the 5:39 mark, but the Rockets quickly answered with a Marreon Jackson layup and a Saunders trey.
• The Crusaders kept up their pressure though and ended the half with an 11-1 spurt for a 39-35 advantage.

SECOND HALF

• Toledo remained within striking distance early in the second stanza and evened the score at 51-51 on a Marreon Jackson jumper with 12:12 remaining.
• Fazekas' trey then ignited an eight-point Valpo run for a 59-51 lead at the 10-minute mark.
• The Rockets couldn't reduce the Crusaders' lead under five points down the stretch until their last-minute burst.
• Marreon Jackson's corner trey brought Toledo within 75-72 with 31 seconds left.
• Following a quick Valpo basket, Saunders buried a triple with 25 ticks left for a two-point deficit. Freeman-Liberty then missed the front end of a one-and-one and Marreon Jackson evened the score.
• Freeman-Liberty made up for his miss with his game-winning basket with four seconds remaining.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Toledo lost its season opener for just the second time in the last seven years.
• The all-time series between the Rockets and Crusaders is tied at 6-6. The two teams are scheduled to meet in Savage Arena next season.
• The Rockets are now 12-4 in games decided by five points or less since the start of the 2017-18 season.
• Senior Luke Knapke blocked three shots and moved past J.C. Harris (1989-92) and now ranks second in school history with 139 career rejections. He needs 16 more to tie Nathan Boothe (2013-17) for first place.
• Junior Marreon Jackson's previous scoring high as a Rocket was 26 points vs. Eastern Michigan in the 2018 MAC Tournament Semifinals. He was 9-of-15 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line tonight.