TOLEDO, Ohio -  The Toledo men's basketball team (16-12, 9-6 MAC) heads to Western New York this weekend to face Buffalo (8-20, 3-12 MAC) on Saturday, March 1 in its final road game of the season. The contest will tip off at approximately 4:30 p.m. in Alumni Arena following the Bulls' women's game vs. Eastern Michigan that begins at 2:00 p.m. Streaming will be on ESPN+.
       
The Rockets are currently tied for third place in the Mid-American Conference standings with Kent State (19-9, 9-6 MAC) and Ohio (15-13, 9-6 MAC). If the season ended today, UT would be the No. 4 seed in the MAC Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio on March 13-15. Akron (22-6, 13-1) is in first place, two games ahead of second-place Miami (20-7, 11-3).

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, March 1, 2025.
Tip-Off: 4:30 p.m.
Location: Buffalo, N.Y.
Arena: Alumni Arena (6,783).
Streaming: ESPN+. Paul Peck will provide play-by-play for broadcast with Tony Watson serving as analyst.
Radio: Rocket Radio Network. WSPD (1370 AM) in Toledo. Mark Beier will provide play-by-play for broadcast.

SERIES
Toledo leads 23-14. The Rockets have won eight straight in the series following Buffalo's five-game win streak from 2018-20.  Toledo has won four games at home and four on the road during the streak.

LAST TIME OUT
Toledo is looking to bounce back from Tuesday's 105-65 setback at Kent State. Sam Lewis led the Rockets with 17 points and was joined in double figures by Sonny Wilson (13 pts.), Isaiah Adams (10 pts.), and Javan Simmons (10 pts.). Simmons also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

FIRST MEETING VS. BULLS
Javan Simmons tallied 18 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to lead Toledo to an 87-74 triumph over visiting Buffalo. Toledo outrebounded the Bulls by a 41-32 margin, grabbing 15 of its boards on the offensive glass. Sam Lewis led the Rockets in scoring with 19 pts., with Sonny Wilson (18 pts.) and Bryce Ford (12 pts.) also finishing in double digits in the scoring column. Toledo held a 42-32 halftime lead and expanded its lead to 58-40 with 13:13 to play. The closest the Bulls came down the stretch was within nine points with a minute remaining.

ROCKETS' LEADERS
Sam Lewis and Sonny Wilson are the Rockets' leading scorers with 15.5 ppg and 15.4 ppg, respectively. Javan Simmons is averaging 11.4 ppg and a team-high 6.6 rpg, while Isaiah Adams is scoring 11.0 ppg. Simmons also leads the MAC with 3.0 offensive RPG.

ABOUT BUFFALO
Buffalo's three league wins have come at Western Michigan (Jan. 18), vs. Central Michigan (Jan. 28), and at Northern Illinois (Feb. 11). The Bulls suffered a 73-69 setback at Central Michigan on Tuesday. UT has won eight straight games over the Bulls, including an 87-74 triumph in Savage Arena on Feb. 4.

Ryan Sabol leads Buffalo with 14.8 ppg and is tied for second in the MAC with 2.7 3PTFGs per game. Tyson Dunn ranks second on the team with 12.1 ppg and second in the MAC with 5.5 apg. The Bulls rank last in the MAC in scoring defense (80.8 ppg) and are committing a league-high 14.7 turnovers per game.

POST TOUCHES
•  The Rockets lead the MAC in attendance at 4,402 fans per game after drawing a season-high crowd of 6,837 vs. Bowling Green (Feb. 21).
•  Toledo ranks first in the MAC in league play with a 77.3 FT% after shooting 69.0% at the charity stripe in its non-conference schedule.
•  Toledo's eight-game streak of committing 10 or less turnovers ended on Tuesday at Kent State when it committed 14 miscues vs. the Golden Flashes. UT is tied for 11th nationally at 9.4 turnovers per game.
•  Sophomore Sam Lewis ranks eighth in the MAC with a team-high 15.5 ppg, including a team-high 19 points vs. Buffalo (Feb. 4). He has a team-high seven 20-point outings this season, including four in his last eight games.
•  Sophomore Sonny Wilson ranks ninth in the MAC with 15.4 ppg, including 18 points vs. Buffalo on Feb. 4. He leads MAC guards and ranks eighth in the MAC with a 51.8 FG%.
•  Sophomore Javan Simmons leads the MAC with 3.0 offensive rpg (3.8 in MAC) and is third in MAC play with 8.4 rpg.
•  Sophomore Bryce Ford leads the MAC in league play with a 91.2 FT% and is averaging 9.7 ppg and 4.1 rpg in 28.1 mpg in conference action.
•  Senior transfer Isaiah Adams leads UT with 3.3 apg, 1.2 spg and 0.7 bpg and is shooting 38.0% from three-point range in league play.
 
IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY
        UT would be the No. 4 seed in the MAC Tournament due to its win at Ohio (Jan. 28).
              Team (MAC Record) 
     1.      Akron (14-1)           
     2.      Miami (12-3)          
     3.      Kent State (9-6)
     4.      Toledo (9-6)   
     5.      Ohio (9-6)   
     6.      Western Michigan (7-8)         
     7.      Ball State (7-8)
     8.      Eastern Michigan (7-8)
 
ON THE HORIZON
     The Rockets' final two games of the regular season will be at home vs. Akron (22-6, 14-1 MAC) on Tuesday, March 4 and Ohio (15-13, 9-6 MAC) on Friday, March 7. Tip-off time for each contest is 7:00 p.m.