TOLEDO, Ohio - The Toledo men's basketball team (18-6, 9-2 MAC) will put its eight-game winning streak on the line when it travels to Ypsilanti, Mich. on Saturday, Feb. 11 to face Eastern Michigan (6-18, 3-8 MAC). Tip-off time for the contest is 7:30 p.m. with streaming on ESPN3.

The Rockets are currently tied for first place with Kent State (19-5, 9-2 MAC) and Akron (17-7, 9-2 MAC) after Tuesday's 84-74 victory over the Zips. Toledo's winning streak is tied for third in the nation behind Eastern Washington (14) and Oral Roberts (9).

Setric Millner Jr. led UT in its win at Akron with 20 points and nine boards. He was joined in double digits by Dante Maddox Jr. (19 pts.), RayJ Dennis (18 pts.) and JT Shumate (14 pts.). The Rockets led for nearly 38 minutes, and Maddox scored nine straight points to give UT a 77-71 lead with 2:05 left to help UT hold off a Zip rally.

Toledo ranks third nationally with a MAC-best 84.9 ppg as well as ranking 10th with 10.0 turnovers per game, 13th with a 48.8 FG% and 38.6 3PTFG%, 14th with a 1.52 A/TO ratio, and 16th with a 48.7 FG%.

Individually, Dennis ranks eighth in the nation with a 3.11 A/TO ratio and ninth with 6.0 apg. JT Shumate ranks 16th nationally with a 89.2 FT%. Dennis ranks third in league scoring at 18.9 ppg, while Shumate is seventh at 17.6 ppg.

Eastern Michigan has split four games since dropping an 84-79 decision to Toledo on Jan. 24. The Eagles have topped the 90-point mark in three straight MAC games for the first time ever. Sophomore Emoni Bates leads the MAC in scoring with 21.2 ppg.

UT rallied from an 11-point deficit with 6:51 to play in its first meeting vs. the Eagles. Shumate topped the Rockets with 20 points with Maddox (19 pts.), Dennis (17 pts.), Millner (16 pts.) and Ra'Heim Moss (10 pts.) each scoring in double digits. Bates scored a career-high 43 points and was 9-of-14 from three-point range.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023.
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Ypsilanti, Mich.
Arena: George Gervin Gameabove Center (8,754).
Television: ESPN3. Ryan Wooley will provide play-by-play for broadcast with Justin Rose 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
Toledo leads 61-52. Toledo has won five straight games vs. EMU by an average margin of victory of 19.4 ppg. The Rockets have won two straight in Ypsilanti after losing seven of eight.
 
ROCKETS VS. THE EAGLES
• Dante Maddox Jr. scored 19 points and was 4-of-7 from three-point range on Jan. 24.
• JT Shumate is averaging 17.3 ppg and 6.3 rpg with a 58.1 FG%, 50.0 3PTFG% (5-of-10) and 91.7 FT% (11-of-12) in three games vs. EMU. Shumate scored 24 points at EMU last year and 20 points vs. the Eagles this season.
 
EIGHT-GAME WINNING STREAK DATA
•  Toledo has a plus-12.3 scoring margin during its current eight-game win streak.
•  The Rockets are averaging 85.5 ppg with a 49.5 FG% and 40.1 3PTFG%.
•  Toledo also has a plus-5.0 turnover margin and is averaging 8.9 turnovers per game.
•  RayJ Dennis leads UT with 20.5 ppg and is followed by Setric Millner Jr. (16.1 ppg), JT Shumate (15.9 ppg), and Dante Maddox Jr. (13.0 ppg).
•  Millner Jr. has a team-best 48.1 3PTFG% (13-of-24) during this stretch. Maddox Jr. is at 47.4%, followed by Shumate at 38.7% and Dennis at 38.2%
 
PROTECTING THE BALL
Toledo ranks 10th in the nation with a MAC-low 10.0 turnovers per game. In its last five games, UT has committed just 6.6 miscues per game, with four vs. EMU (Jan. 24), five vs. BGSU (Jan. 28), and eight at Miami (Jan. 31), vs. CMU (Feb. 4) & Akron (Feb. 7).

Toledo is committing a league-low 8.6 turnovers/game in MAC play with Kent State (9.50) and Akron (10.6) the only other schools committing less than 11.0 miscues per game in league play. The Rockets also have an impressive 1.78 A/TO ratio in conference action with Akron second at 1.26 followed by KSU at 1.19.
 
ROCKETS IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
•  Toledo ranks THIRD in the nation with 84.9 ppg, trailing only Gonzaga (86.2) and Oral Roberts (85.6).
•  The Rockets are also in the Top 20 in fewest TO's/game (10th/10.0), FG% (13th/48.8), 3PTFG% (13th/38.6), A/TO ratio (14th/1.52), and effective FG% (16th/55.8).
•  RayJ Dennis ranks seventh with a 3.11 A/TO ratio and 10th with a career-high 6.0 apg.
•  JT Shumate ranks 17th with an 89.2 FT%.
•  The Rockets' EIGHT-game winning streak is tied for THIRD-longest in the nation.
 
ROCKETS IN THE MAC RANKINGS
•  UT tops the MAC with 84.9 ppg, over four points better than Buffalo (80.2), and is also first in FG% (48.8), 3PTFG% (38.6), A/TO ratio (1.52), and fewest TO/game (10.0).
•  UT is the only school to have three players among the MAC's Top 15 scoring leaders — RayJ Dennis (18.9/3rd), JT Shumate (17.6/7th), and Setric Millner Jr. (15.2 ppg/13th).
•  Dennis leads the MAC with 6.0 apg and a 3.11 assist/turnover ratio.
•  Shumate is the only player in the MAC to rank in the Top 10 in FG% (55.4/6th), 3PTFG% (41.6%/6th) and FT% (90.9/3rd).
•  Dennis is tied for the MAC lead with 12 20-point outings with Bowling Green's Leon Ayers III. Shumate is tied for third in the MAC with 11 20-point contests.
•  Shumate is third with 1.2 bpg and blocked two shots at Akron on Tuesday.
•  Dante Maddox Jr. is fourth with a team-high 44.2 3PTFG% with Shumate tied for ninth at 41.2%.
•  Ra'Heim Moss is fifth with 1.5 spg and and Dennis is 11th with 1.4 spg.
 
TEAM TIDBITS
•  Since the start of 2020-21 season, Toledo holds a 41-9 (.820) record in league play and is 18-6 (.750) in league road games.
•  Toledo is the only MAC school to win 13 or more league games four of last five years.
•  Toledo has an eight-game win streak or longer in three straight years. UT registered a nine-game win streak last year and an eight-game unbeaten stretch in 2020-21.
•  Toledo is looking to become the first school to win three straight outright league titles since Cincinnati won four in a row from the 1947-48 through 1950-51 seasons.
•  UT has the only men's basketball players to receive MAC Male Scholar-Athlete of Week honors this season. JT Shumate was honored twice (Dec. 14, Jan. 11) and Dennis once (Feb. 8).
 
POST TOUCHES
•  RayJ Dennis has a 50.0 3PTFG% (7-of-14) in his last three games and has led Toledo in assists in every game this season.
•  Dennis has scored in double digits in every game this season (15 or more in 20 games) after ending the 2021-22 season by scoring in double digits in a career-high 14 straight games.
•  JT Shumate has scored in double digits in 22 of 24 games (including eight in a row) and sank a career-best nine free throws vs. EMU (Jan. 24). He tied his career high with 33 points (15-of-21 FG) vs. Oakland (Nov. 16) & is tied for third in the MAC with 11 20-point outings.
•  Setric Millner Jr. is averaging 17.8 ppg with a 53.7 FG% and 50.0 3PTFG in his last six games and has SIX 20-point outings as well as three double-doubles this season.
•  Shumate and Millner lead Toledo in league play with 52.7 and 51.3 FG%s, respectively.
•  Dante Maddox Jr. ranks fourth on the team with 11.0 ppg and fourth in the MAC with a 44.2 3PTFG%. Maddox has scored 19 points twice in league play, vs. EMU (Jan. 24) and at Akron (Feb. 7).
•  Ra'Heim Moss has made a three-pointer in six straight games and is shooting 41.7% (10-of-24) from three-point range during this stretch.
•  EJ Farmer is averaging 9.5 ppg in his last five games and has made 13 of his last 17 FTs (76.5%).
 
ON THE HORIZON
     The Rockets will host Miami (8-16, 2-9 MAC) on Tuesday, Feb. 14 before visiting Bowling Green (10-14, 4-7 MAC) on Saturday, Feb. 18. The Rockets posted an 81-78 road win over the RedHawks on Jan. 31 and a 91-77 home victory over the Falcons on Jan. 28.