TOLEDO, Ohio - The Toledo men's basketball team (4-4) begins a three-game homestand on Saturday, Dec. 9 when it hosts Missouri Valley Conference foe Northern Iowa (3-6) in Savage Arena. Fans are asked to wear black for the Black Out game that is tipping off at 2:00 p.m. with streaming on ESPN+.

The Rockets are looking to build momentum from Wednesday's 69-68 road win over Oakland. UT's victory over the Golden Grizzlies was its second one-point triumph on the road this season in as many games.

Dante Maddox Jr. scored a game-high 20 points, including two free throws with 19.4 seconds left, to lead Toledo. Maddox was joined in double digits by Tyler Cochran (14 pts.), Ra'Heim Moss (12 pts.) and Javan Simmons (12 pts.). Simmons also grabbed a season-high eight rebounds, while Cochran collected seven rebounds and tied his season high with five steals.

Maddox and Moss are tied for the team lead in scoring with 15.6 ppg. Moss is also tied for the team lead in rebounding with Cochran at 5.0 rpg. Simmons ranks third in team scoring with 12.3 ppg and has a team-high 87.5 FT%.

Northern Iowa downed Richmond, 78-73, at home on Wednesday night to snap a two-game losing streak. Sophomore Trey Campbell led the way with a career-high 21 points and a career-best six three-point field goals.

The Panthers feature a balanced offensive attack with junior Nate Heise scoring a team-high 14.3 ppg. Junior Tytan Anderson ranks second on the team with 11.0 ppg and has grabbed a team-high 6.7 rpg.

Toledo posted an 83-75 win at UNI last December in the first game of a home-and-home series. The Rockets shot 51.7% from the field with former Rocket JT Shumate leading the way with 24 points and six rebounds.

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023.
Tip-Off: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Toledo, Ohio.
Arena: Savage Arena (7,014).
Streaming: ESPN+. Mason Lowry will provide play-by-play for the broadcast with Rhett Boyd serving as analyst.
Radio: Rocket Radio Network. WSPD (1370 AM) in Toledo. Mark Beier will provide play-by-play for broadcast with Jay Lehman serving as analyst.
 
SERIES
Series tied 1-1. Toledo has split its only two meetings vs. Northern Iowa with both coming on the road. The Rockets suffered an 84-81 (OT) setback in 2012 before recording an 83-75 victory last year.

POST TOUCHES
•  Junior Ra'Heim Moss has scored in double digits in every game this season and is tied for the team scoring lead with a career-best 15.6 ppg and shooting a career-high 53.0% from the field. Moss also leads the Rockets with 30.3 mpg, 32 free throws made and 43 free throws attempted.
•  Junior Dante Maddox Jr. is tied for the team scoring lead with 15.6 ppg and leads the team with 18 three-point field goals made. He also ranks second on the team with 13 steals.
•  Junior Tyler Cochran leads the MAC with a team-high 2.5 spg and is tied for the team lead with 5.0 rpg. In his last three games, Cochran is averaging 11.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg and 2.7 spg.
•  Redshirt freshman Javan Simmons is third on the team with 12.3 ppg and has scored in double digits in seven of his first eight collegiate contests. He has a team-best 87.5 FT% and is second with a 57.6 FG%.
•  Simmons has shot over 50 percent from the field in seven of eight games. In his last four contests, he is shooting 94.4% (17-of-18) from the free-throw line.
•  Freshman Sonny Wilson leads the team with 2.9 apg and a 2.6 assist/turnover ratio. In the Rockets' win at Oakland, he dished out a team-high four assists with zero turnovers in a season-high 36 minutes.
•  Junior Andre Lorentsson is tied for seventh in the MAC with a 50.0 three-point field-goal percentage and is second on the team with nine treys.
 
TEAM TIDBITS
•   Toledo ranks FIRST among MAC schools in the latest NET rankings at No. 94.
•  SIX Rockets are shooting 50.0% or higher (min. 2.0 shots/game) from the field
•  FIVE Rockets are averaging 8.0 ppg or more.
•  Toledo is 2-1 this season when scoring 80 or more points and 2-3 when scoring less than 80 points.
•  UT's two defeats to UC Irvine (77-71) and Indiana State (76-74) snapped a six-game winning streak in games decided by six points or less.
•  Toledo has registered FIVE 20-win seasons in the last SIX years. In addition, the Rockets are one of 11 programs nationally to win 21 or more games each of the last THREE seasons. Other schools to do so are Baylor, Belmont, Drake, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Morehead State, UAB, UCLA, and USC.
•  Toledo is the only MAC school to win 13 or more league games five of last six years.
 
ON THE HORIZON
Toledo will continue its three-game homestand against Marshall on Wednesday, Dec. 13. The Rockets will then have a week off before hosting Vermont on Wednesday, Dec. 20. The Rockets will play at West Virgina on Saturday, Dec. 23 before opening Mid-American Conference play at Ohio on Tuesday, Jan. 2 on ESPNU.