AKRON, Ohio – Toledo saw its eight-game winning streak snapped on Saturday afternoon with a heartbreaking 95-94 overtime defeat at Akron (5-3, 3-2 MAC) in James A. Rhodes Arena. The Rockets are now 11-4 this season and 6-1 in Mid-American Conference play.
 
"I thought both teams played their tails off and today's game was one of the better college basketball games I've been a part of," Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk said. "Unfortunately someone had to lose. There were an awful lot of positives and not many negatives. It was an unbelievable game for both teams with tremendous intensity. We'll bounce back and be ready for our next game."
 
Toledo held an 83-80 lead late in the second half before Akron's Ali Ali hit a three-point field goal with 4.8 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. The Rockets then took a 92-85 advantage in the extra session following senior Spencer Littleson's three-pointer with 1:46 remaining. The Zips rallied and Maishe Dailey hit the game-winning triple with 2.9 seconds left.
 
"Akron hit a tough three to get the game to overtime after we closed out with high hands," Kowalczyk said. "We didn't want to give up an easy two at the end of overtime. They kicked it out for a three-pointer and he made the shot."
 
Five Rockets scored in double figures with senior Marreon Jackson leading the way, finishing just shy of registering the fourth triple-double in program history. He tallied a team-high 24 points, a career-high tying 10 assists and nine rebounds in 36 minutes.
 
Also scoring in double digits were Littleson (21 pts., 5-of-9 3FG), junior Setric Millner Jr. (16 pts.), freshman Ryan Rollins (13 pts.) and sophomore Keshaun Saunders (10 pts.).
 
Senior Loren Cristian Jackson paced Akron with game-high 34 points with junior Bryan Trimble Jr. adding 19 points.
 
Toledo shot 44.3 percent from the field, 12-of-28 (42.9 percent) from three-point range and 20-of-27 (74.1 percent) at the free-throw line. Akron posted a 50.7 shooting mark, a 35.0 three-point FG% (14-of-40) and an 86.7 clip (13-of-15) at the charity stripe.
 
The Rockets return to action on Tuesday, Jan. 19 with a home game vs. Central Michigan. Tip-off time in Savage Arena is set for 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
FIRST HALF

• Toledo opened the game strong and held a 15-7 lead after four minutes following three triples from Spencer Littleson.
• The Zips responded by scoring 21 straight points over the next six minutes for a 28-15 cushion midway through the opening stanza.
• The Rockets bounced back with a run of their own, tallying nine straight points to cut the Zips' lead to 28-26 less than 90 seconds later. Setric Millner Jr.'s triple opened the outburst with Marreon Jackson adding another trey and a traditional three-point play.
• Toledo eventually regained the lead, 34-32, on sophomore Keshaun Saunders' three-point field goal at the 5:36 mark.
• Saunders' two free throws with 51 seconds left in the half helped Toledo take a 44-42 advantage to the locker room.

SECOND HALF

• Saunders' three-point play extended Toledo's cushion to 59-52 less than five minutes into the second half.
• Toledo took its largest lead of the contest, 64-55, on JT Shumate's layup with 11:10 remaining.
• Akron rallied to take a 70-69 lead at the 5:42 mark on two free throws from Loren Cristian Jackson.
• The lead then changed hands seven times down the stretch with Toledo taking an 83-80 lead with 24.7 seconds left on Ryan Rollins's two free throws.
• Akron tied the score on Ali Ali's three-pointer with 4.8 seconds left and Toledo was unable to get a shot off to win the game.

OVERTIME 

• Millner's driving layup put Toledo in front, 87-83, just over a minute into overtime.
• Littleson's three-pointer increased the Rockets' margin to 92-85 with 1:46 left.
• Akron chipped away and took advantage of two missed free throws down the stretch to win the game on Maishe Dailey's three-point field goal with 2.9 seconds left.