TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo men's basketball team will play its second straight home game when it hosts Marshall (1-0) on Saturday, Nov. 8 in Savage Arena. Tip-off time is set for 2:00 p.m. with streaming on ESPN+. The Rockets (0-1) will be looking to bounce back from Monday's 76-74 home setback to South Alabama in its season opener. The Thundering Herd are coming off a season-opening 78-72 win at UMass on Monday.

Senior Kyler Vanderjagt and freshman Leroy Blyden Jr. led the Rockets against the Jaguars with 17 points. VanderJagt knocked down 4-of-6 shots from beyond the arc and was a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line. Blyden provided a spark off the bench, nailing five three-pointers to go along with a game-high nine assists and two blocked shots.

Trailing by 13 at halftime, the Rockets came out of the locker room and outscored the Jaguars 48-37 in the second half to nearly erase a 19-point deficit. Toledo had a shot to win the game at the buzzer but Blyden's three-pointer rimmed out.

The Rockets shot 47.3% from the field, including a 60.7 mark in the second half. UT posted a 45.5 3PTFG% (15-of-33) and was 12-of-17 behind the arc in the final 20 minutes.
Marshall was projected to finish sixth in the Sun Belt Conference Coaches Preseason Poll, with guard Jalen Speer named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team.

The Thundering Herd shot 60.0% in the second half and held a 38-27 rebounding advantage in Monday's win at UMass. Senior Wyatt Frick led Marshall with 16 points of the bench. 

SATURDAY'S PROMOTIONS
The first 300 UT students will receive a "TodFather" t-shirt. Non-UT students can pre-order a shirt for $25.00 HERE. Shirts need to be ordered by Nov. 14 and can be picked up at the Rockets' game on Dec. 1 vs. Central State.

One lucky student will also have the opportunity to win $5,000 by making a halfcourt shot. In addition, the Rocket marching band will be performing at halftime.

PARKING
Free parking for the game is available in Lots 1, 2, and 19. Lots 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 require parking passes with Lot 18 primarily reserved for handicapped passes.

DETAILING SATURDAY'S MATCHUP
• Toledo is facing Marshall in a non-conference contest for a 10th straight season. The Rockets dropped the first two meetings (111-105 (OT) in 2016 & 93-87 in 2017) in this decade-long stretch before winning seven of the last eight matchups. The two teams faced each other twice in the 2019-20 campaign.
• Toledo holds an all-time record of 26-5 vs. Marshall in the Glass City in a series that dates back to Jan. 8, 1940.
• Five Rockets scored 15 or more points to in Toledo's wire-to-wire 90-80 victory at Marshall last year. Isaiah Adams and Sam Lewis led UT with 17 points apiece. Toledo was efficient offensively, shooting 52.5% from the field and committing just nine turnovers. The Rockets limited Marshall to 40.3 FG% and 28.1 mark (9-of-32) from behind the three-point arc.
• Both Toledo and Marshall tallied 20 or more assists in their season openers. Leroy Blyden Jr. topped the Rockets with nine assists, while Noah Otshudi dished out nine helpers for the Thundering Herd.
 
POSTGAME NOTES FROM MONDAY'S SEASON OPENER
• Leroy Blyden Jr.'s 17 points were the most by a Rocket freshman in a season opener vs. a Division I opponent since Julius Brown scored 17 vs. Texas State on Nov. 18, 2011. Blyden's point total was also the most by a Rocket in his debut since Setric Millner Jr. scored 17 vs. Bradley on Nov. 25, 2020.
• Blyden's five three-pointers were the most by a Rocket since Dante Maddox Jr. buried six vs. Bowling Green on Jan. 27, 2024.
• Toledo's 15 three-point field goals on Monday vs. South Alabama were its most in a game since hitting 15 vs. Miami on Feb. 16, 2021.
• Sonny Wilson tied his career high with three treys en route to a 15-point outing. Wilson's double-digit contest extended his streak of scoring in double figures to 18 games dating back to last season.
• The Rockets' 21 assists were their most against a Division I opponent since tallying 22 vs. Northern Illinois on Feb. 27, 2024.
• Toledo lost its home opener for the first time in 15 years in Monday's 76-74 loss to South Alabama. The last time UT had lost a home opener previously was a 57-51 loss to UIC on Nov. 19, 2010 in Coach Kowalczyk's first year on the Toledo bench.

ON THE HORIZON
Toledo will visit Wright State on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 7:00 p.m. before returning home to play its next two contests in Savage Arena. The Rockets will host Detroit Mercy on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 1:00 p.m. and Youngstown State on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 7:00 p.m.