Tuesday, December 16
East Lansing, Mich.
6:30 p.m.
University of Toledo
at
Michigan State
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
Senior Sean Craig is leading the Rockets with an 87.5 FT% to help Toledo rank 11th nationally with a 78.7 FT%.
Toledo to Venture to East Lansing on Tuesday to Face No. 9 Michigan State
12/15/2025 1:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Rockets and Spartans to tip off at 6:30 p.m. on Peacock Network
TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo men's basketball team (5-5) heads to East Lansing, Mich. to battle No. 9 Michigan State (9-1, 2-0 Big Ten) on Tuesday, Dec. 16. Tip-off time from the Breslin Center is set for 6:30 p.m. with streaming on Peacock.
The Rockets are looking to bounce back from a pair of close defeats on the road — Saturday's 75-70 defeat at Robert Morris and a 98-97 setback at Oakland on Dec. 6.
Toledo held a 42-24 halftime advantage against the Colonials primarily due to a 23-0 run that put the Rockets ahead 34-13 with 5:43 left in the first half. The Colonials opened the second half with a 15-1 spurt to trim UT's lead to 43-39 and eventually took a 60-56 lead with 5:41 left following a 7-0 burst. The Rockets couldn't draw within closer than three points the remainder of the contest.
Sonny Wilson led Toledo with a game-high 21 points. Sean Craig added 15 points and six rebounds, while Austin Parks contributed 13 points, eight boards and two blocked shots.
The Rockets are led by the backcourt duo of Wilson (16.1 ppg) and Leroy Blyden Jr. (14.0 ppg) along with the frontcourt tandem of Craig (13.8 ppg) and Parks (12.0 ppg). Craig leads UT with 7.8 rpg, with Blyden setting the pace with 4.9 apg and 2.0 spg.
Michigan State's lone loss this season came at home to #4 Duke (66-60) on Dec. 6. MSU has defeated #12 Kentucky, #14 Arkansas and #18 North Carolina.
Senior Jaxon Kohler leads the Spartans with 13.8 ppg and 9.8 rpg, while sophomore Jeremy Fears Jr. is averaging 11.2 ppg and a nation-best 9.7 apg.
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GAME INFORMATION
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025.
Tip-Off: 6:30 p.m.
Location: East Lansing, Mich.
Arena: Breslin Center (14,759).
Streaming: Peacock. Paul Burmeister will provide play-by-play with Tom Crean 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.
DETAILING TUESDAY'S MATCHUP
• The Rockets trail the all-time series vs. Michigan State by a 6-3 margin and possess a 27-48 all-time mark vs. schools that are currently in the Big Ten.
• UT has lost its last two meetings vs. the Spartans since posting an 81-76 victory at No. 14 MSU on Dec. 30, 2002.
• Toledo is meeting Michigan State for the first time since dropping an 81-68 decision on Dec. 4, 2021. Former Rocket Ryan Rollins led UT in the contest with 21 points, while Setric Millner Jr. added 17 points.
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ROCKETS IN THE NCAA & MAC RANKINGS (thru games played Dec. 13)
• Toledo ranks first in the MAC and 11th in the nation with its 78.7 FT%.
• Toledo ranks third in the MAC with a 1.43 assist/turnover ratio as well as fourth with a +2.0 turnover margin.
• Freshman Leroy Blyden Jr. is third in the MAC with 2.0 spg, fourth with 4.9 apg, and fifth with a 46.7 three-point FG%.
• Junior Austin Parks ranks fourth with a 62.5 FG%.
• Senior Sean Craig ranks second in the MAC with 3.3 offensive rpg and is fourth and sixth with 7.8 rpg and an 87.5 FT%, respectively.
• Sophomore Jaylan Ouwinga is tied for seventh with 1.1 bpg.
• Junior Sonny Wilson ranks eighth with 16.1 ppg and 11th with 3.6 apg.
A LOOK AT THE ROCKETS
• Toledo has won 12 Mid-American Conference titles in program history and became the second MAC program ever to capture four straight outright MAC titles from the 2020-21 - 2023-24 seasons. (Cincinnati did it previously from the 1947-48 - 1950-51 seasons.).
• The Rockets have registered SIX 20-win seasons in the last EIGHT years as well as EIGHT 20-win campaigns in the last 12 seasons.
• The Rockets tied a school record with 27 victories in the 2022-23 campaign, matching the total by the 2013-14 squad.
• Ten Rockets are wearing a Midnight Blue and Gold uniform for the first time this season. Transfers Sean Craig (Sr., F), Austin Parks (Jr., C), Chris Riddle (So., G), Mynor Strong (So., G) and Kyler Vanderjagt (Sr., G) have been joined by five incoming freshmen — G Leroy Blyden Jr. (Detroit, Mich.), G Phoenix Glassnor (Port Huron, Mich.), G Will James Jr. (Holly Springs, N.C.), F Toby Nwokolo (Columbus, Ohio), and F London Praytor (Colorado Springs, Colo.).
• Chris Riddle will be out for the remainder of the season due to a foot injury. Riddle injured his foot in the summer and played three games in November. He scored a season-high nine points in his first contest vs. Youngstown State (Nov. 19).
• Two former Rockets — Ryan Rollins and RayJ Dennis — have played in the NBA this season, marking the first time since 1973 that UT has had two players play in an NBA game in a single season. Rollins is averaging 17.0 ppg, 6.0 apg, 4.0 rpg and 1.6 spg for Milwaukee, while Dennis averaged 4.9 ppg and 2.0 rpg in 13 games for Indiana. He is currently playing for the San Diego Clippers in the NBA's G League.
FREE-THROW FOCUS
Toledo has ranked in the Top 3 of the MAC in free-throw shooting and posted a 72.5 FT% or higher in 13 of the last 14 seasons. The Rockets have done even better dating back to the 2018-19 season, shooting 74.0 or better each year that includes this season's 78.7 mark that currently ranks first.
Sean Craig leads Toledo with an 87.5 FT% and is followed by Leroy Blyden Jr. (82.5%), Austin Parks (78.4%) and Kyler Vanderjagt (77.4%).
ROCKETS VS. BIG TEN
• Toledo possesses an all-time mark of 27-48 vs. schools from the Big Ten Conference.
• The Rockets' last contest against a Big Ten foe came at No. 21 Purdue last season.
• Toledo is 2-2 vs. Illinois, 1-4 vs. Indiana, 3-1 vs. Iowa, 8-15 vs. Michigan, 3-6 vs. Michigan State, 1-2 vs. Minnesota, 1-0 vs. Northwestern, 4-5 vs. Ohio State, 2-5 vs. Penn State, 1-4 vs. Purdue, 1-2 vs. Wisconsin, 0-1 vs. Oregon, 0-1 vs. Washington, and 0-3 vs. Nebraska. The Rockets have never faced Maryland or Rutgers.
ON THE HORIZON
Toledo will host NAIA foe Lourdes University on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 12:00 p.m. before taking a holiday break. The Rockets will open Mid-American Conference play on Tuesday, Dec. 30 vs. Western Michigan at 6:30 p.m.
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The Rockets are looking to bounce back from a pair of close defeats on the road — Saturday's 75-70 defeat at Robert Morris and a 98-97 setback at Oakland on Dec. 6.
Toledo held a 42-24 halftime advantage against the Colonials primarily due to a 23-0 run that put the Rockets ahead 34-13 with 5:43 left in the first half. The Colonials opened the second half with a 15-1 spurt to trim UT's lead to 43-39 and eventually took a 60-56 lead with 5:41 left following a 7-0 burst. The Rockets couldn't draw within closer than three points the remainder of the contest.
Sonny Wilson led Toledo with a game-high 21 points. Sean Craig added 15 points and six rebounds, while Austin Parks contributed 13 points, eight boards and two blocked shots.
The Rockets are led by the backcourt duo of Wilson (16.1 ppg) and Leroy Blyden Jr. (14.0 ppg) along with the frontcourt tandem of Craig (13.8 ppg) and Parks (12.0 ppg). Craig leads UT with 7.8 rpg, with Blyden setting the pace with 4.9 apg and 2.0 spg.
Michigan State's lone loss this season came at home to #4 Duke (66-60) on Dec. 6. MSU has defeated #12 Kentucky, #14 Arkansas and #18 North Carolina.
Senior Jaxon Kohler leads the Spartans with 13.8 ppg and 9.8 rpg, while sophomore Jeremy Fears Jr. is averaging 11.2 ppg and a nation-best 9.7 apg.
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GAME INFORMATION
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025.
Tip-Off: 6:30 p.m.
Location: East Lansing, Mich.
Arena: Breslin Center (14,759).
Streaming: Peacock. Paul Burmeister will provide play-by-play with Tom Crean 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.
DETAILING TUESDAY'S MATCHUP
• The Rockets trail the all-time series vs. Michigan State by a 6-3 margin and possess a 27-48 all-time mark vs. schools that are currently in the Big Ten.
• UT has lost its last two meetings vs. the Spartans since posting an 81-76 victory at No. 14 MSU on Dec. 30, 2002.
• Toledo is meeting Michigan State for the first time since dropping an 81-68 decision on Dec. 4, 2021. Former Rocket Ryan Rollins led UT in the contest with 21 points, while Setric Millner Jr. added 17 points.
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ROCKETS IN THE NCAA & MAC RANKINGS (thru games played Dec. 13)
• Toledo ranks first in the MAC and 11th in the nation with its 78.7 FT%.
• Toledo ranks third in the MAC with a 1.43 assist/turnover ratio as well as fourth with a +2.0 turnover margin.
• Freshman Leroy Blyden Jr. is third in the MAC with 2.0 spg, fourth with 4.9 apg, and fifth with a 46.7 three-point FG%.
• Junior Austin Parks ranks fourth with a 62.5 FG%.
• Senior Sean Craig ranks second in the MAC with 3.3 offensive rpg and is fourth and sixth with 7.8 rpg and an 87.5 FT%, respectively.
• Sophomore Jaylan Ouwinga is tied for seventh with 1.1 bpg.
• Junior Sonny Wilson ranks eighth with 16.1 ppg and 11th with 3.6 apg.
A LOOK AT THE ROCKETS
• Toledo has won 12 Mid-American Conference titles in program history and became the second MAC program ever to capture four straight outright MAC titles from the 2020-21 - 2023-24 seasons. (Cincinnati did it previously from the 1947-48 - 1950-51 seasons.).
• The Rockets have registered SIX 20-win seasons in the last EIGHT years as well as EIGHT 20-win campaigns in the last 12 seasons.
• The Rockets tied a school record with 27 victories in the 2022-23 campaign, matching the total by the 2013-14 squad.
• Ten Rockets are wearing a Midnight Blue and Gold uniform for the first time this season. Transfers Sean Craig (Sr., F), Austin Parks (Jr., C), Chris Riddle (So., G), Mynor Strong (So., G) and Kyler Vanderjagt (Sr., G) have been joined by five incoming freshmen — G Leroy Blyden Jr. (Detroit, Mich.), G Phoenix Glassnor (Port Huron, Mich.), G Will James Jr. (Holly Springs, N.C.), F Toby Nwokolo (Columbus, Ohio), and F London Praytor (Colorado Springs, Colo.).
• Chris Riddle will be out for the remainder of the season due to a foot injury. Riddle injured his foot in the summer and played three games in November. He scored a season-high nine points in his first contest vs. Youngstown State (Nov. 19).
• Two former Rockets — Ryan Rollins and RayJ Dennis — have played in the NBA this season, marking the first time since 1973 that UT has had two players play in an NBA game in a single season. Rollins is averaging 17.0 ppg, 6.0 apg, 4.0 rpg and 1.6 spg for Milwaukee, while Dennis averaged 4.9 ppg and 2.0 rpg in 13 games for Indiana. He is currently playing for the San Diego Clippers in the NBA's G League.
FREE-THROW FOCUS
Toledo has ranked in the Top 3 of the MAC in free-throw shooting and posted a 72.5 FT% or higher in 13 of the last 14 seasons. The Rockets have done even better dating back to the 2018-19 season, shooting 74.0 or better each year that includes this season's 78.7 mark that currently ranks first.
Sean Craig leads Toledo with an 87.5 FT% and is followed by Leroy Blyden Jr. (82.5%), Austin Parks (78.4%) and Kyler Vanderjagt (77.4%).
ROCKETS VS. BIG TEN
• Toledo possesses an all-time mark of 27-48 vs. schools from the Big Ten Conference.
• The Rockets' last contest against a Big Ten foe came at No. 21 Purdue last season.
• Toledo is 2-2 vs. Illinois, 1-4 vs. Indiana, 3-1 vs. Iowa, 8-15 vs. Michigan, 3-6 vs. Michigan State, 1-2 vs. Minnesota, 1-0 vs. Northwestern, 4-5 vs. Ohio State, 2-5 vs. Penn State, 1-4 vs. Purdue, 1-2 vs. Wisconsin, 0-1 vs. Oregon, 0-1 vs. Washington, and 0-3 vs. Nebraska. The Rockets have never faced Maryland or Rutgers.
ON THE HORIZON
Toledo will host NAIA foe Lourdes University on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 12:00 p.m. before taking a holiday break. The Rockets will open Mid-American Conference play on Tuesday, Dec. 30 vs. Western Michigan at 6:30 p.m.
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