YPSILANTI, Mich. – A 17-3 Eastern Michigan run midway through the second half proved to be too much to overcome on Saturday afternoon for Toledo in a 61-57 setback to the Eagles in Mid-American Conference men's basketball action at the Convocation Center.

"It's a disappointing loss for us," Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk. "The breaks aren't going our way right now. We have to create our own breaks and have some good things go our way. Their zone is really good with its length and size, and I thought we moved the ball against them pretty darn well to get some open shots. You just have to make shots against it when you get the opportunity."

Juniors Dylan Alderson and Marreon Jackson paced a balanced Rocket attack with 14 points apiece. Redshirt freshman Keshaun Saunders and senior Luke Knapke also finished in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
 
Knapke also grabbed a team-best 11 rebounds for a double-double and tied his career high with a game-high five assists.
 
Junior Yeikson Montero topped EMU (11-10, 1-7 MAC) with a career-high 26 points, while senior Boubecar Toure registered 12 points and 16 boards.
 
Toledo (11-11, 3-6 MAC) shot 37.5 percent from the field and 33.3 percent (9-of-27) from three-point range. The Eagles posted a 46.0 shooting mark, including 52.0 percent in the second half, and were seven-of-16 (43.8 percent) behind the three-point arc.
 
The Rockets knocked down 12-of-15 free-throw attempts compared to EMU's 8-of-17 totals.
 
Knapke's jumper put Toledo in front 40-37 with 13:30 remaining, but the Eagles responded with a 17-3 spurt to take their only double-digit lead, 54-43, with 7:37 left. _­­

"We got driven too much and allowed them to penetrate and take it to the basket during that stretch when they extended their lead," Kowalczyk said. "We had some chances to make it a one-possession game late but couldn't make the shot we needed."

Toledo returns to action on Tuesday, Feb. 4 when it will host MAC West Division foe Northern Illinois (13-9, 6-3 MAC). Tip-off time in Savage Arena is set for 7:00 p.m.

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST HALF

• Eastern Michigan jumped out to an early 11-6 lead less than five minutes in thanks to three-point field goals from Thomas Binelli, Ty Groce and Yeikson Montero.
• The Rockets scored eight unanswered points for a 21-17 lead with 5:37 remaining in the opening frame. Three-pointers from Dylan Alderson and Keshaun Saunders keyed the spurt.
• T.J. Smith's layup with 2:49 remaining in the first half kept Toledo's lead at four points, 25-21.
• Montero's trey at the 1:31 mark was the final basket prior to intermission as Toledo took a 25-24 lead to the locker room.

SECOND HALF

• EMU quickly regained the lead by scoring the half's first two baskets, but Marreon Jackson answered with his third trey of the day to even the score.
• Saunders' three-pointer approaching the 16-minute mark extended Toledo's lead to 35-31, but six straight points from Montero put the Eagles ahead 37-36.
• Jumpers from Saunders and Knapke then gave the lead right back to the Rockets with 13:30 to play.
• EMU followed by scoring eight straight points before Willie Jackson ended Toledo's scoring drought by hitting one of two free throws with 11:08 remaining.
• Montero's three-pointer put Toledo down 54-43 with 7:37 left, but the Rockets rallied to within 57-52 just under the four-minute mark.
• The Rockets then had a chance to cut their deficit to two on two occasions but couldn't get good looks from three-point range to fall.
• Marreon Jackson's three-pointer made it a 61-57 game with 50 seconds left.
• EMU missed the front end of a one-and-one with 27.3 seconds left, but Toledo couldn't take advantage.