TOLEDO, Ohio - The Toledo men's basketball team (21-9, 15-4 MAC in 2020-21) opens its 107th season on Tuesday, Nov. 9 when it visits Missouri Valley Conference foe Valparaiso (10-18, 7-11 MVC). The Rockets and Beacons will tip off at 6:00 p.m. CT (7:00 p.m. ET) inside the Athletics-Rec. Center with the game being streamed on ESPN+.
       
Toledo is ranked No. 17 in the CollegeInsiders.com Mid-Major Preseason Poll and will be looking to continue a run of success that has seen the Rockets post an 86-43 (.667) record over the last four years. Toledo's 86 wins during this time period ranks 41st in the country. In addition, the Rockets' .667 winning percentage during this same stretch ranks 49th in the nation.

Sophomore guard Ryan Rollins is the Rockets' top returning scorer with 13.5 ppg, a figure that propelled him to Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year honors. He ranked second on the team with 2.6 apg and third with 5.3 rpg. Junior forwards Setric Millner Jr. and JT Shumate are also back after averaging 12.9 and 11.3 ppg last season. Millner also averaged a team-best 6.8 rpg.

The Rockets will have one more veteran in their starting lineup with the addition of transfer RayJ Dennis. Dennis started 25 or 28 contests at point guard for Boise State last year and averaged 8.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 2.9 apg in 27.2 apg for a Bronco squad that posted a 19-9 overall record and a 14-6 MWC mark.

Rollins led the Rockets to exhibition victories over Hillsdale (93-68) and at Findlay (83-78) by tallying 29.0 ppg and 6.5 rpg with a 53.8 FG% (21-of-39).

Valparaiso has five transfers and five freshmen joining its program this season. The Beacons lost a pair of exhibitions to Ashland (87-78) and Flagler (70-67). Senior Thomas Kithier paced Valpo in the two contests with 13.0 ppg and 13.0 rpg.

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021.
Tip-Off: 6:00 p.m. CT
Location: Valparaiso, Ind.
Arena: Ath.-Rec. Center (5,000).
Television: ESPN+.
   Todd Ickow will provide play-by-play for broadcast with Jamie Stangel serving as analyst.
Radio: Rocket Radio Network. WSPD (1370 AM) in Toledo. Brent Balbinot will provide play-by-play for broadcast with Jay Lehman serving as analyst.
 
SERIES
Toledo leads 7-6. Toledo won five of the first six meetings from 1947-50 before Valpo won four straight from 1991-2009. The Rockets and Beacons have each won on their home floor the last two seasons.

POST TOUCHES
•  Ryan Rollins topped MAC freshmen with 13.5 ppg last year and was named MAC Freshman of the Year as well as being named a finalist for the Kyle Macy National Freshman of the Year. He ranked second on the team with 2.6 apg, third with 5.3 rpg.
•  Rollins' 410 points last year ranked fourth all-time for points by a Rocket freshman. He trailed only Julius Brown (427, 2011-12), Ken Epperson (420, 1981-82) and Jake Barnett (414, 2009-10).
•  Setric Millner Jr. scored a career-high 26 points vs. Ohio in the MAC semifinals last season and registered three double-doubles last year. One of those double-doubles was a 13-point, 12-rebound outing vs. Ball State in the MAC Quarterfinals.
•  JT Shumate tallied a career-high 33 points and set a school record by making 11-of-11 shots (5-of-5 3PTFG) at Miami last year. Shumate, whose sister Katie is a junior guard at Kent State, transferred to Toledo from NCAA Division II Walsh University in April 2020 and received immediate eligibility in mid-December.
•  Shumate ranked among the MAC leaders in two categories. He was third with 1.4 bpg and a 59.6 FG%.
•  Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk is in his 12th season at the Rockets' helm and has guided Toledo to five 20-win campaigns in the last eight years, marking the first time for this accomplishment since Bob Nichols recorded five straight 20-win seasons from 1976-81.
•  Kowalczyk was named 2020-21 MAC Coach of the Year after leading the Rockets to a 21-9 overall record and a 15-4 league mark.
 
SOME TEAM STATISTICAL TIDBITS FROM LAST YEAR'S CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
•  Prior to capturing the MAC title in 2020-21 with a 15-4 record, UT won titles in 1953-54 (10-1), 1966-67 (11-1), 1971-72 (7-3), 1978-79 (13-3), 1979-80 (14-2), 1980-81 (10-6), 2006-07 (14-2) and 2013-14 (14-4).
•  Toledo ranked in the Top 25 nationally in eight categories - 1st in 3PTFGs made (314), 5th with 10.5 3PTFGs/game, 15th with a 1.45 A/TO ratio, 15th with 81.1 ppg, 18th with a 29.8 three-point FG% defense and 18th with a 78.0 FT%.
•  Toledo won a school-record 15 league games and is the only MAC school to win 13 or more league games in three of last four years.
•  The Rockets won 13 of their 15 MAC games by nine points or more and led the league with a plus-12.0 scoring margin in conference games.
•  Five or more Rockets scored in double digits on 10 occasions.
 
ON THE HORIZON
     Toledo will open its home campaign on Saturday, Nov. 13 vs. Detroit Mercy. Tipoff time is set for 7:00 p.m.