Shorthanded Rockets Fall at Xavier in NIT, 78-64

Wednesday, March 20

Cincinnati, Ohio

7:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

25-8

Xavier

19-15

Toledo

Xavier

Senior Jaelan Sanford led Toledo with 23 points in its 78-64 loss at Xavier.

Photo by: Frank Victores/Xavier

3/20/2019 10:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Final Stats (PDF)

CINCINNATI – A shorthanded Toledo men's basketball team saw its successful season come to a close on Wednesday evening with a 78-64 setback at Xavier in the first round of the 2019 National Invitation Tournament. The Rockets concluded the season with a 25-8 record, the second-most victories in school history. The Musketeers will play at Texas in the second round on Sunday, March 24.

Senior Jaelan Sanford scored a game-high 23 points to lead the Rockets, who were playing without a pair of injured starters - junior Willie Jackson and sophomore Marreon Jackson. Senior Chris Darrington registered 18 points, a career-high five rebounds and four assists. Also scoring in double digits was senior Nate Navigato with 16 points on 4-of-7 shooting behind the arc.

"I'm extremely proud of the way we battled against a very talented Xavier team," Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk said. "We made some turnovers during their second-half run that led to fast-break baskets and it really cost us. Once they gained some separation, it was tough to come back."

Sophomore Naji Marshall topped Xavier with 20 points, a career-high 21 rebounds and a team-high six assists. Marshall's work on the boards helped Musketeers control the glass by a 51-31 margin.

The Rockets shot 39.0 percent from the field and limited the hosts to a 40.3 shooting mark.

Toledo led by as many as four points in the first half before settling for a 27-27 tie at intermission. Darrington's layup with 16:04 remaining put the Rockets in front 36-35, marking the last time UT led in the contest. Xavier responded with a 23-2 spurt to over the next five-and-a-half minutes to take control.

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST HALF

Neither team led by more than four points until Nate Navigato's three-pointer gave the Rockets a 17-13 lead with 9:45 to play in the first half.
Xavier fought back to take a 21-19 lead three minutes later, but Chris Darrington answered with a three to put Toledo in front 22-21 with 5:04 remaining.
Jaelan Sanford's basket at the 44-second mark gave UT a 27-25 advantage, but a Xavier putback evened the score at the half.
The first half featured eight lead changes and seven occasions when the score was tied.
UT shot 37.9 percent in the first half limited Xavier to a 34.3 FG% and 2-of-14 shooting behind the arc.

SECOND HALF

Quentin Goodin's three-pointer gave the Musketeers a 33-29 cushion less than two minutes into the second half.
Navigato ignited a 7-2 spurt with a trey that put Toledo back in the lead, 36-35, with 16:04 to play.
Xavier took advantage of three Rocket turnovers in a 10-0 run that forced Toledo to take its first timeout at the 13:27 mark.
Sanford broke free for a layup following the stoppage but Xavier scored the game's next 13 points for a 20-point advantage.
The closest the Rockets came down the stretch was 12 points following a Darrington layup with two minutes remaining.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Nate Navigato connected on four treys tonight to give him a Mid-American Conference record 309 in his career, three more than Central Michigan's Josh Kozinski.
Navigato and Jaelan Sanford played in their 133^rd game in a Rocket uniform to tie the school record held by Jordan Lauf (2013-17).
Freshman AJ Edu blocked two shots to finish the season with 57, three shy of the school record held by Luke Knapke (2017-18) and J.C. Harris (1991-92).
Toledo's all-time record in the NIT dropped to 5-10 in nine appearances.