TOLEDO, Ohio - The Toledo men's basketball team (9-7, 3-1 MAC) looks to bounce back from its first conference setback when it travels to Muncie, Ind. to face Ball State (8-8, 2-2 MAC) on Saturday, Jan. 18. The contest will tip off at 2:00 p.m. in Worthen Arena and be streamed on ESPN+.

The four-time defending MAC champion Rockets are a game behind Miami (12-4, 4-0 MAC), Akron (11-5, 4-0 MAC) and Ohio (10-6, 4-0 MAC) in the conference standings. UT is a game ahead of the Cardinals, Kent State (11-5, 2-2 MAC) and Bowling Green (7-9, 2-2 MAC).

Toledo held a 42-30 halftime advantage in Tuesday's loss at Akron after ending the first half with a 13-2 run. Akron responded though with a 23-4 run in the second half to pull away for the victory.

Isaiah Adams topped Toledo with 17 points and was joined in double figures by sophomores Javan Simmons (15 pts.) and Sam Lewis (14 pts.).

Sonny Wilson is leading Toledo with 14.9 ppg and has a team-high four 20-point outings. Lewis (14.3) and Simmons (11.9) are also scoring in double digits for the Rockets. Wilson is dishing out a team-high 3.4 apg and is second on the team with 1.0 spg. Lewis leads UT with 5.6 rpg and ranks fourth in the MAC with a 44.8 three-point FG%, while Simmons possesses a team-high 53.5 FG%.

Ball State is 4-3 at home this season and has split its first two league games in Worthen Arena with an 80-72 loss to Miami and a 91-69 win over Bowling Green.

Junior Jermahri Hill ranks third in the MAC with 16.4 ppg, while senior Payton Sparks ranks second with 7.4 rpg and a 63.0 FG%. Mickey Pearson Jr. is also scoring in double digits for BSU with 11.4 ppg and has a team-high 85.5 FT%.

The Rockets' meeting against the Cardinals will be the first of two contests between the two schools. UT posted a 77-72 home victory over BSU in their only meeting last year.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025.
Tip-Off: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Muncie, Ind.
Arena: Worthen Arena (11,500).
Television: ESPN+. Mick Tidrow will provide play-by-play for broadcast with David Eha 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 55-50. UT has won seven of its last 11 meetings vs. BSU after dropping five in a row to the Cardinals.

POST TOUCHES
•  Five Rockets are scoring in double digits in MAC play led by Sam Lewis' 15.8 ppg followed by Sonny Wilson (14.8), Javan Simmons (13.8), Bryce Ford (10.5) and Isaiah Adams (10.0).
•  Toledo's five home games are the fewest in the MAC.
•  The Rockets entered conference play with a 6-6 mark for a second-straight season. UT started the MAC season with five straight wins last year and ended up with its fourth straight outright MAC title.
•  Sophomore Sonny Wilson earned a spot on the MAC All-Freshman Team last year and leads UT with 14.9 ppg and 3.4 apg. He ranks 10th in the MAC with 14.9 ppg.
•  Sophomore Javan Simmons was a unanimous selection for 2023-24 MAC Freshman of the Year and is a member of the 2024-25 Preseason All-MAC First Team. He leads UT with a 53..5 FG%, is second with 5.3 rpg, and third with 11.9 ppg.
•  Sophomore Sam Lewis scored a career-high 21 points at Youngstown State (Dec. 14) and also tallied 20 points vs. Eastern Michigan (Jan. 7). In addition, he registered back-to-back double-doubles with 13 points and a career-best 11 boards at Purdue (Dec. 29) and 14 points and 10 rebounds at WMU (Jan. 4). He is second in team scoring (14.3 ppg) and fourth in the MAC with a team-best 45.1 3PTFG%.
•  Sophomore Bryce Ford has emerged as another perimeter scoring threat after joining the Rockets' starting lineup at the start of conference play. Ford tallied a career-high 18 points vs. EMU, 10 vs. CMU and nine at WMU. In MAC play, he is averaging 10.5 ppg with a 55.2 FG% (14-of-22) and a 53.3 3PTFG% (8-of-15).
•  Senior transfer Isaiah Adams started 25 of 26 games last year for Buffalo and was the Bulls' second-leading scorer with 12.8 ppg. He leads UT with 1.2 spg this season and is averaging 10.0 ppg, including 17-point effort at Akron on Tuesday. He also is second on the team with 3.1 apg and 11th in MAC play with 4.0 apg.

NOTES FROM THE ROCKETS' 85-78 LOSS AT AKRON
•  Toledo's loss to Akron was just its fifth in its last 18 meetings vs. the Zips.
•  The Rockets lost for the first time in nine games this season when leading at halftime.
•  Isaiah Adams' 17 points were one shy of his season high. He also tied his season high with two blocked shots.
•  Sam Lewis scored in double figures for a team-high 15th game in 16 contests.
•  Sonny Wilson grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds against the Zips.
•  Grgur Brcic's nine points were his most against a Division I opponent.

PROTECTING THE BASKETBALL & DEFENDING WITHOUT FOULING
•   Toledo ranks among the national leaders in fewest turnovers per game, averaging a MAC-best 9.8 miscues per game.
•   UT is tied for 15th nationally, with Marquette ranking first at 8.8.
•   Toledo is tied for 56th nationally with a MAC-low 15.3 fouls per game. The Rockets have registered 76 more free-throw attempts than its opponents for an average of 5.1 FT attempts per game.
 
ON THE HORIZON
     The Rockets return home for their only home game in a span of five games when it hosts Kent State (11-5, 2-2 MAC) on Tuesday, Jan. 21. The Rockets will then visit arch-rival Bowling Green (7-9, 2-2 MAC) on Friday, Jan. 24 and Ohio (10-6, 4-0 MAC) on Tuesday, Jan. 28 before returning home to host Northern Illinois (4-12, 0-4 MAC) on Saturday, Feb. 1.