TOLEDO, Ohio - The University of Toledo men's basketball program has finalized its 2021-22 non-conference schedule, Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk announced today. Highlighting the schedule will be a trip to the Bahamas for the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship in November as well as a December matchup at Michigan State.

Season tickets for the men's basketball program are on sale now.  For more information or to purchase season tickets, visit the Rocket Athletic Ticket Office at the Sullivan Athletic Complex in Savage Arena, contact the Rocket Athletic Ticket Office at 419-530-GOLD (4653) or go online to UTRockets.com/tix. Toledo's Mid-American Conference schedule is expected to be announced in September.

"We're really excited about our non-conference schedule," said Kowalczyk, who was named the 2020-21 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Rockets to the league title. "It's clearly one of the better schedules we've had here at Toledo. We put this schedule together because we wanted to give ourselves a shot at getting an NCAA Tournament at-large bid and make sure we were looked at favorably with our intent to scheduling."

Toledo opens its season at Valparaiso on Nov. 9 before hosting Detroit Mercy in its home opener on Nov. 13. The Rockets will then visit Oakland on Nov. 17 followed by playing three games in three days in the Bahamas. UT will open the tournament against Charlotte on Nov. 22. The tourney also includes 2021 NCAA Tournament participant Abilene Christian, Coastal Carolina, Drexel, Jacksonville State, Tulane and Valparaiso.

"Starting our season with two of three games on the road along with a home game against Detroit Mercy and one of the nation's top scorers in Antoine Davis will challenge us," Kowalczyk said. "Our tournament in the Bahamas includes really solid mid-major programs where we can simulate what our conference tournament will be like in March."

After hosting Northwestern Ohio on Nov. 29, the Rockets will head to East Lansing, Mich. to battle national power Michigan State. The contest against the Spartans on Dec. 4 begins a challenging four-game stretch that include a home game vs. Bradley (Dec. 7), a trip to Richmond (Dec. 11) and UT's final non-conference contest vs. Marshall (Dec. 21) in Savage Arena.

"Playing Michigan State, Bradley and Richmond will be an extremely tough week for us," Kowalczyk said. "Then we cap off our non-conference season against an always good Marshall team. It's a very good schedule and one we feel will provide a tremendous challenge to the team that we have this year."

Toledo also will play two exhibition games this fall, one in Savage Arena and one on the road. The Rockets will host Hillsdale on Oct. 23 and travel to Findlay on Oct. 30.

"Hillsdale and Findlay are two of the top Division II programs in the country and will help us get ready to start the season," Kowalczyk said. "Our exhibition games are not about winning and losing. We use them to prepare for our season. Hillsdale is one of the best motion offense teams in college basketball and has really challenged us in past exhibitions. Findlay is a very talented and well-coached and gives us the opportunity to play in a sold-out gym on the road. This will be our third time playing an exhibition in Findlay and we've really benefited from doing that."

Toledo captured the MAC title last year, posting an overall record of 21-9 with a 15-4 mark in league play. The Rockets earned their 10^th all-time NIT berth and return MAC Freshman of the Year Ryan Rollins (13.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg) as well as juniors Setric Millner Jr. (12.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg), JT Shumate (11.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg) and Keshaun Saunders (6.8 ppg). Six freshmen are joining the team, along with Boise State transfer RayJ Dennis (8.6 ppg, 2.9 apg).