TOLEDO, Ohio – Sophomore Ryan Rollins scored a team-high 19 points and junior JT Shumate notched his first career double-double to lead Toledo (2-0) to an 81-73 victory over Detroit Mercy (0-2) on Saturday night before 5,086 fans in its home opener in Savage Arena. The victory was the Rockets' fifth in a row in their series vs. the Titans as well as their 11^th-consecutive home-opening win.

        "We grinded it out and found a way to win tonight," Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk said. "We played exceptionally hard and it was really about the three E's. It started with our energy and enthusiasm and I wanted us to play with an edge. I thought we guarded well. They just made tough shots, especially when they spaced the floor like they did."

        Shumate, who finished with 17 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, teamed with junior Setric Millner Jr. to lift Toledo to a 40-37 edge on the boards and an 18-9 advantage in second-chance points. Millner just missed a double-double, finishing nine points and 10 boards.

         "JT has been unbelievably efficient in our first two games," Kowalczyk said. "I felt he was one of four guys on our team who were all-league players before the season. I'm really happy with how he's playing."

        Also scoring in double digits for the Rockets were junior RayJ Dennis (13 pts.) and redshirt freshman Ra'Heim Moss (11 pts.).

        The Titans were led in scoring by seniors Kevin McAdoo (23 pts.) and Antoine Davis (21 pts.).

        Toledo shot 48.3 percent from the field and limited the visitors to a 42.2 shooting mark. Detroit Mercy (10-of-28 3FG) outshot the Rockets (7-of-22 3FG) from the perimeter, but UT held the upper hand at the charity stripe (16-of-23/9-of-16).

        Toledo is back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 17 when it travels to Rochester, Mich. to face Oakland (1-1). The Golden Grizzlies opened the season with a 60-53 loss at West Virginia before posting a 56-55 road win over Oklahoma State.

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST HALF

• Detroit's Antoine Davis opened the game with a three-pointer, but the Rockets answered back with four straight baskets from Setric Millner Jr., JT Shumate, Ryan Rollins and RayJ Dennis.
• The Titans regained the lead, 18-17, following a Kevin McAdoo triple with 11:25 remaining in the first half.
• Detroit maintained its advantage until Shumate's trey knotted the score at 27-27 at the 5:38 mark.
• The Rockets closed the half with a 6-0 spurt to take a 43-35 lead at intermission.

• Ra'Heim Moss' three-point play just under four minutes into the second stanza pushed the Rockets' lead to 50-39, its largest lead to that point.
• McAdoo's driving layup capped off a 6-0 run and reduced the Titans' deficit to 52-49 with 11:40 to play.
• That was as close as the Titans would come as Dennis and Shumate knocked down trey on Toledo's next two possessions.