TOLEDO, Ohio - The Toledo men's basketball team (11-8, 5-2 MAC) will travel to Athens, Ohio on Tuesday, Jan. 28 to face Ohio (11-8, 5-2 MAC) in the first of two meetings against the Bobcats this season. The contest will tip off at 7:00 p.m. and be nationally televised on ESPN2.

UT is currently tied for third place in the Mid-American Conference standings with Ohio (11-8, 5-2 MAC), two games behind Akron (14-5, 7-0) and one behind Miami (14-5, 6-1).

Isaiah Adams and Sonny Wilson each scored a game-high 18 points and the four-time defending MAC champion Rockets knocked down 12 three-point field goals in Friday's 84-71 victory over arch-rival Bowling Green. Also scoring in double digits for Toledo were Sam Lewis (14 pts.) and Bryce Ford (12 pts.). Ford topped UT's perimeter assault with four triples, while Lewis buried a trio of threes. Javan Simmons nearly recorded a double-double, finishing with eight points and a team-high nine rebounds. Simmons' work on the glass helped UT to a 37-30 rebounding advantage.

Wilson and Lewis are leading Toledo with 15.3 and 14.3 ppg, respectively. Simmons is averaging 12.3 and a team-high 5.9 rpg, while Adams is checking in at 10.8 ppg. In addition, Ford and Lewis are at the top of the MAC in 3PTFG% with 46.8 and 44.4 marks, respectively.

Ohio is undefeated in eight home games after snapping a two-game skid with Friday's 61-59 victory over Kent State. The Bobcats rank second in the MAC with a 47.3 FG% and are third with 80.3 ppg and 35.3 three-point FG%.

AJ Clayton ranks sixth in the MAC with 15.5 ppg and first with 1.8 bpg, while Jackson Pavaletzke is second on the team with 12.8 ppg and second in the MAC with 5.1 apg.

Toledo has won 11 of its last 12 meetings vs. Ohio, including six-straight games in Athens by an average margin of 13.3 points
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025.
Tip-Off: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Athens, Ohio
Arena: The Convo (13,080).
Television: ESPN2. Eric Rothman will provide play-by-play for broadcast with Tim McCormick 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
Ohio leads 72-68. Toledo has won six in a row as well as 11 of its 12 meetings vs. Ohio. The Rockets have won six straight games in Athens by an average margin of 13.3 ppg.

POST TOUCHES
•  Toledo ranks second in the MAC with an 80.0 FT% in league play after shooting 69.0% at the charity stripe in its non-conference schedule.
•  Toledo's six home games are two fewer than any other program in the MAC. Following Tuesday's contest at Ohio, the Rockets will play three-straight home games.
•  Sophomore Sonny Wilson earned a spot on the MAC All-Freshman Team last year and leads UT with 15.3 ppg and 3.4 apg. He ranks eighth in the MAC with 15.3 ppg and ranks first among guards in the MAC with a 52.8 FG%.
•  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. In MAC play, he leads the conference with 4.2 offensive rpg and is second with 8.7 rpg.
•  Sophomore Sam Lewis has three 20-point outings this season, including tying his career high with 21 points at Ball State (Jan. 18). He also 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).
•  Sophomore Bryce Ford leads the MAC with a 46.8 3PTFG% and has emerged as another perimeter scoring threat after joining the Rockets' starting lineup at the start of conference play. Ford has tallied a career-high 18 points vs. EMU, 12 at Ball State and Bowling Green, 10 vs. CMU and nine at WMU. In MAC play, he is averaging 9.6 ppg with a 53.3 FG% and a 54.5 3PTFG% (12-of-22).
•  Senior transfer Isaiah Adams is averaging 13.8 ppg in his last six games after tying for the team lead in scoring with 18 points at Bowling Green (Jan. 24). He leads UT with 1.3 spg and is averaging 10.8 ppg and 3.1 apg. Adams started 25 of 26 games last year for Buffalo and was the Bulls' second-leading scorer with 12.8 ppg.
•  Adams and junior Seth Hubbard are the MAC's top free-throw shooters in league play. Adams has made all 16 of his free throws, and Hubbard is perfect in 15 attempts.
 
NOTES FROM THE ROCKETS' 84-71 WIN AT BOWLING GREEN
• Javan Simmons grabbed four offensive rebounds and has registered four or more on the offensive glass in five-straight contests.
• Bryce Ford tied his career high with four three-point goals. He previously hit four threes in the Rockets' 90-87 win over Eastern Michigan (Jan. 7).
• Toledo is now 31-10 (.756) in its last 41 MAC road games.
• Toledo posted an 82.4 FT% vs. the Falcons and has shot 80% or better in four straight games. UT is shooting 84.3% (70-of-83) from the charity stripe during this stretch.
• The Rockets' 12 three-point field goals are their second most in a game this season.
• Toledo is 4-0 this season when making eight or more three-point field goals.
• UT has won 16 of its last 21 games vs. BGSU, including five of the last seven by double digits.
 
ROCKETS RANKING AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS IN WINS
Toledo's 67 conference wins since the start of the 2020-21 season are tied for SECOND in the nation (as of Jan. 26) with Drake and Purdue and trail only Houston (69). Belmont, Colgate, Cleveland State and Morehead State are tied for fourth with 66 victories.
 
PROTECTING THE BASKETBALL
•   Toledo ranks among the national leaders in fewest turnovers per game, averaging a MAC-best 9.9 miscues per game.
•   The Rockets are tied for 19th nationally, with Houston ranking first at 8.7.
•   UT committed a season-low four miscues vs. Jacksonville St. and just five in three other games.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
     The Rockets are 5-5 in road games this season and have posted a 39-24 (.619) win-loss mark in road games since the start of the 2020-21 campaign. Toledo possesses a 62-43 (.590) win-loss mark on enemy courts since the start of the 2017-18 season.

ON THE HORIZON
     The Rockets will begin a three-game homestand when it hosts Northern Illinois (5-14, 1-6 MAC) on Saturday, Feb. 1. Toledo will then host Buffalo (6-13, 1-6 MAC) on Tuesday, Feb. 4 and James Madison (12-9) on Saturday, Feb. 8 following its matchup vs. the Huskies.