TOLEDO, Ohio – A pair of Buffalo spurts during the first half were too much for Toledo to overcome in the Rockets' 83-67 defeat to the Bulls on Friday night in Savage Arena.
 
"Tonight we got out-toughed and out-coached," Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk said. "It really comes down to that. The only game prior to this I didn't think we competed and played well was at UMKC. I look at it as everyone who has been an athlete, coach or in the business world is going to get your butt whupped occasionally. You hope it's not very often, but we did tonight and we're going to take it like men. We'll put it past us quickly and move forward."
 
All five Toledo starters scored in double digits with senior Luke Knapke, junior Marreon Jackson and junior Spencer Littleson leading the way with 13 points apiece. Redshirt freshman Keshaun Saunders tallied 12 points, while senior Willie Jackson contributed 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for his 14th double-double.

Junior Jayvon Graves paced Buffalo (16-9, 7-5 MAC) with a game-high 27 points.
 
Toledo (12-14, 4-9 MAC) shot 38.2 percent from the field and registered season lows for both three-point field goals (3) and three-point FG% (12.5).  The Rockets did knock down 22-of-28 free throws compared to Buffalo's 7-of-10 totals from the charity stripe.
 
Buffalo posted a 48.6 shooting mark, including a red-hot 62.9 percent in the opening 20 minutes when it built a 52-28 advantage. Toledo committed 11 first-half turnovers and shot just 30.4 percent in the first half. The Bulls took advantage and had scoring runs of 17 and 12 points, respectively.
 
"We had too many live-ball turnovers in the first half that led to layups," Kowalczyk said. "We got down by 12 points and then it snowballed from there."
 
Toledo will now be idle for the next eight days before returning to action with a trip to Kalamazoo, Mich. to face Western Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 22.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
FIRST HALF

• The opening five minutes featured seven lead changes with four different Rockets finding the scoring column.
• Marreon Jackson's two free throws provided the Rockets a 10-9 lead for their last advantage of the evening.
• The Bulls then took advantage of six Toledo turnovers and scored 17 straight points for a 26-10 cushion with 9:12 remaining in the first half.
• Dylan Alderson's three-pointer reduced the Rockets' deficit to 28-17 just over two minutes later.
• Toledo cut Buffalo's lead to single digits, 34-25, on Spencer Littleson's trey at the 4:40 mark.
• The Bulls then scored 12 straight points for a 46-25 lead and Jayvon Graves hit a three-pointer right before the buzzer for a 52-28 halftime advantage. 

SECOND HALF

• Toledo closed to within 56-42 with 14:27 remaining after Littleson knocked down a three-pointer to cap off a 10-0 spurt.
• The Bulls' Davonta Jordan responded with a basket before Willie Jackson's layup and Luke Knapke's two free throws made it a 58-46 contest with 13:02 left.
• Buffalo answered with a 6-0 spurt to end the Rocket rally and didn't let its lead dip below 13 points the rest of the way.

Recap of Toledo's game against Buffalo.


Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk post-game.


Senior Willie Jackson post-game.


Junior Marreon Jackson post-game.