TOLEDO, Ohio – Junior RayJ Dennis scored a career-high 29 points, including the Rockets' final 16 points of the game, to help the Toledo men's basketball team pull out a 69-68 victory over Canisius in Savage Arena on Saturday afternoon. The victory kept the Rockets (7-3) unbeaten in four home contests this season.

"We needed to find a way to grind out a win and today we did," Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk said. "We didn't make shots and didn't make our free throws like we usually do, but we guarded. Canisius has three really good guards, and they are a far better team than their record shows."

Dennis also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, dished out a game-best six assists and connected on a career-high 15 free throws in 20 attempts.

"RayJ had a great game and made free throws when it mattered for us," Kowalczyk said. "He's been the leader for our team for the last two years and he was able to make plays down the stretch."

Senior JT Shumate was the only other Rocket in double digits, finishing with 20 points before fouling out with 2:43 to play. Shumate's 20-point outing was the fourth-straight game he has topped the 20-point plateau and the seventh this season.

The Golden Griffins (2-7) limited Toledo to season lows in points (69), field-goal percentage (38.9), three-point FGs made (3) and three-point FG% (.200). Canisius shot just 37.7 percent in the defensive battle and 17.4 percent (4-of-23) from three-point range.

The Rockets knocked down 11 of their last 12 free-throw attempts and registered season highs for free throws made (24) and free-throw attempts (36).

Toledo will take the upcoming week off for final exams before returning to action on Saturday, Dec. 17 at Marshall (8-1). Tipoff time at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, W. Va. Is set for 3:30 p.m.

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST HALF

• Toledo jumped out to an early 12-4 advantage for its largest lead of the game. JT Shumate's five points keyed the quick start
• Canisius rallied to take its only lead of the half, 24-23, on Jacco Fritz' putback 5:39 before halftime.
• The Rockets answered immediately with a 9-0 run to take a 32-24 lead three minutes late. The burst was initiated by an AJ Edu dunk and capped off by a jumper from Setric Millner, Jr.
• Canisius scored the final five points of the half to leave Toledo with a 32-29 halftime advantage.
• UT trailed for only 50 seconds in the first half and was led in scoring by JT Shumate's 14 points.

SECOND HALF

• The visitors took their first lead of the second half, 37-36, on Youri Fritz's layup at the 15:49 mark.
• The lead then exchanged hands three times over the next five minutes before Millner slammed one home to put an exclamation point on a 9-1 burst for a 47-42 advantage with 10:55 to play.
• The Golden Griffins responded with a 13-2 spurt to go ahead 55-49 with 6:07 remaining.
• RayJ Dennis' three-point play followed by two more free throws brought the Rockets within 59-58 two minutes later.
• JT Shumate fouled out with 2:43 left when he was whistled for a flagrant foul. J. Fritz hit one of two free throws and Tahj Staveskie added a basket on the ensuing possession to give the visitors a 64-60 lead.
• Dennis ­­tied the score at 64-64 on the Rockets' next two trips up the court with a jumper in the paint and two free throws with 1:13 to play. He then hit three of free throws to increase UT's margin to 67-64 with seven seconds left.
• Canisius never had a chance to tie the score in the final seconds due to the Rockets fouling before the Golden Griffins could get a three-point shot off.