TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo men's basketball team (8-6, 2-0 MAC) looks to remain undefeated in Mid-American Conference play when it hosts Central Michigan (6-8, 0-2 MAC) in Savage Arena on Friday, Jan. 10. The contest will tip off at 8:00 p.m. and be televised live on the CBS Sports Network in the first of three nationally televised games for UT this month.

The four-time defending MAC champion Rockets pulled out a thrilling 90-87 triumph over Eastern Michigan on Tuesday night.  Sam Lewis scored a team-high 20 points to lead all five starters in double figures in the victory. Sonny Wilson tallied nine of his 19 points in the final four minutes, while Bryce Ford finished with a career-high 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting in his second career start. Ford knocked down 4-of-5 shots from behind the arc as well.

Wilson is leading Toledo with 15.6 ppg and has a team-high four 20-point outings. Lewis (14.3) and Javan Simmons (11.4) are also scoring in double digits for the Rockets. Wilson is also dishing out a team-high 3.4 apg and is second on the team with 1.0 spg. Lewis leads UT with 5.8 rpg and ranks third in the MAC with a 45.5 three-point FG%, while Simmons possesses a team-high 53.6 FG%.

Central Michigan has dropped its first two league contests, a 57-55 home setback to Ohio and an 87-71 road loss at Akron. The Chippewas rank second in the MAC in scoring defense (70.9 ppg), three-point FG% defense (30.4), and rebounding margin (+4.6).

Jakobi Heady is leading the Chippewas with 13.4 ppg and 6.6 rpg, while 2023-24 MAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year Anthony Pritchard is averaging 12.4 ppg and a team-high 2.3 spg.

The Rockets will be meeting CMU only once for a second-straight season. The Chippewas won the lone matchup between the two programs last year with a 65-62 victory in Mt. Pleasant.
 
KIDS NIGHT

• Children 12 years & younger dressed in their favorite superhero, player or princess costume will receive FREE admission.  
• Friday's game will also feature a youth guest PA and MC.
• A KIDS ZONE will open on the East Concourse will be open from 6:30-7:30 p.m. with inflatables, games and more.
• Photos with the Rocky and Rocksy on the northwest concourse will be available in front of the athletic logo from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
• Autographs with Rocket football players will be available from 7:00-8:00 p.m. on the West Concourse.  Players in attendance will be Tucker Gleason, Mike Drennen, Amare Snowden, Braden Awls, Avery Smith, Andre Fuller, Malachi Davis, Dylan Hohler, and Braedyn Moore 

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Friday, Jan. 10, 2025.
Tip-Off: 8:00 p.m.
Location: Toledo, Ohio.
Arena: Savage Arena (7,014).
Television: CBS Sports Network. Dave Ryan will provide play-by-play for broadcast with Tre Demps 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 70-41. Toledo has won 12 of its last 15 games vs. CMU and is facing the Chippewas only once this season. The Rockets have posted double-
digit victories in nine of their 12 wins over the Chippewas during this stretch.
 
POST TOUCHES
•  Toledo's four home games are the fewest of any MAC school to date.
•  The Rockets also entered conference play last year with a 6-6 mark. UT started the MAC season with five straight wins 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 15.4 ppg and 3.3 apg. He ranks ninth in the MAC with 15.6 ppg, seventh with a 1.74 assist/turnover ratio and 53.5 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. He leads UT with a 53.6 FG%, is second with 4.9 rpg, and third with 11.4 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 second in the MAC with a team-best 45.5 3PTFG%.
•  Sophomore Bryce Ford has emerged as a perimeter scoring threat after receiving his first two starts of his collegiate career at WMU (Jan. 4) and vs. EMU (Jan. 7). He tallied nine points against the Broncos before scoring a career-high 18 points vs. the Eagles. In the two games, Ford has a 62.5 FG% (10-of-16) and 55.6 3PTFG% (5-of-9).
 
NOTES FROM THE ROCKETS' 90-87 WIN OVER EMU
•  Toledo's victory over Eastern Michigan was its eighth straight in the series.
•  Bryce Ford's career-high 18 points came in a career-high 28 minutes in his second collegiate start.
•  Sam Lewis and Sonny Wilson have each scored in double figures in 13 of 14 games.
•  Five or more Rockets scored in double figures or the seventh time this season.
•  Toledo is 7-0 when leading at halftime and 6-1 when shooting 45% or higher.
•  Eastern Michigan's 16 turnovers tied for the second most by a Rocket opponent this season.

PARKING
Free parking for the game is available in Lots 1 and 2. Lots 3, 4, 5, and 6 require parking passes. For all other lots, vehicles must be registered at parkutoledo.com.
 
ON THE HORIZON
     The Rockets begin a stretch of playing four of their next five games on the road when with a trip to Northeast Ohio to face Akron (9-5, 2-0 MAC) on Tuesday, Jan. 14.