Rockets Win Third Straight with 69-63 Victory Over BSU

Saturday, February 29

Toledo, Ohio

2:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

15-14 (7-9MAC)

Ball State

16-13 (9-7MAC)

Ball St.

Toledo

Senior Luke Knapke's 31 points and nine rebounds led Toledo to a 69-63 win over Ball State.

Photo by: Haley Boehm

Rockets Win Third Straight with 69-63 Victory Over BSU

2/29/2020 5:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Final Stats (PDF)

TOLEDO, Ohio – Senior center Luke Knapke poured in 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds on Saturday afternoon to lead Toledo to its third consecutive victory, a 69-63 triumph over Ball State in front of 5,842 fans in Savage Arena. The victory keeps the Rockets (15-14, 7-9 MAC) in position to host a first-round game in the 2020 Mid-American Conference Men's Basketball Tournament.

Toledo is currently the No. 7 seed in the tourney with games remaining at Northern Illinois (March 3) and vs. Eastern Michigan in the regular-season finale at Savage Arena (March 6).

"That was a really good win against a good team," Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk said. "I'm proud of how we grinded it out after we didn't play particularly well in the first half. Luke was unbelievably efficient and doesn't get enough credit for being the tough guy he is. He plays hard and tough on both ends."

Junior guard Marreon Jackson joined Knapke in double figures with 18 points. He also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out six assists in 37 minutes.

"Marreon's pace of play is becoming elite," Kowalczyk said. "He's making good decisions and taking good shots. He's understanding when he has to score and when he needs to move the ball."

Senior forward Willie Jackson also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to help the Rockets register a 41-37 advantage on the boards.

Redshirt freshman Jarron Coleman paced Ball State (16-13, 9-7 MAC) with 18 points.

Toledo shot 43.1 percent from the field and held the Cardinals to a 37.5 shooting mark. The Rockets also limited BSU to a 6-of-30 (20.0 percent) effort from three-point range.

"A big key today was defending the three-point line," Kowalczyk said. "They rely heavily on the three-point shot, and we were able to make it hard for them. We had a pretty efficient defensive effort."

Toledo trailed 33-28 at halftime but stormed out of its locker room and scored seven straight points to take a 35-33 lead three minutes into the second half. After the lead changed hands twice, Knapke's trey with 13:34 remaining gave Toledo a 40-38 lead it didn't relinquish.

The Rockets then pushed their advantage to as many as eight points and was able to answer each Cardinal rally down the stretch.

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST HALF

Ball State scored seven straight points to take an 18-10 lead midway through the opening 20 minutes.
Marreon Jackson's deep three-pointer capped off a 7-0 spurt that evened score at 20-20 at the 5:50 mark.
Jarron Coleman answered with a trey on BSU's next possession and followed with two free throws to give the visitors a 25-20 cushion with 4:34 remaining.
The Cardinals extended their advantage to 33-24 following Kani Acree's three-point play 1:29 before halftime.
Jackson hit a three at the buzzer to reduce the Rockets' halftime deficit to 33-28.

SECOND HALF

Keshaun Saunders scored five points during the Rockets' 7-0 run after intermission to put Toledo ahead 35-33.
After Brachen Hazen's trey gave the lead back to BSU, Marreon Jackson's driving layup put the Rockets back in front.
Ball State then took its last lead on Ishmael El-Amin's dunk. Knapke answered that play with a three-pointer to put Toledo in front, 40-38, at the 13:34 mark.
Spencer Littleson's two free throws gave Toledo its largest lead, 59-51, with 4:48 remaining.
Ball State crept to within three points on two occasions, but Toledo hit six of eight shots in the final minute to secure the victory.