Saturday, January 3
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
3:00 p.m.
University of Toledo
8-6,2-0MAC
78
at
75
Central Michigan
4-11,0-3MAC
1
2
F
Toledo
31
47
78
Central Mich.
41
34
75
Team Stats
UT
CMU
FG%
.400
.483
3FG%
.333
.421
FT%
.813
.750
RB
41
28
TO
7
9
STL
4
4
Game Leaders
Pts
23
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
9
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
Senior Kyler Vanderjagt scored a season-high 23 points in Toledo's 78-75 win at Central Michigan.
Photo by: Julia Bice
Kyler Vanderjagt's Season-High 23 Points Push Toledo to 78-75 Victory at CMU
1/3/2026 6:40:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Rockets remain unbeaten in MAC play after rallying from 16-point deficit for second-straight game
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Senior Kyler Vanderjagt poured in a season-high 23 points and Toledo rallied from a 16-point deficit for a second-straight game en route to a gritty 78–75 road victory at Central Michigan on Saturday afternoon in McGuirk Arena. The victory kept the Rockets (8-6, 2-0 MAC) unbeaten in Mid-American Conference play, while the Chippewas (4-11, 0-3) remained winless in the league.
Vanderjagt powered the Toledo comeback, scoring 23 points on 6-of-9 shooting, knocking down two triples and converting 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. The Grand Rapids, Mich. native played at CMU last year before transferring to Toledo.
Junior Austin Parks recorded his second double-double of the season with 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Junior Sonny Wilson also tallied 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.
The Rockets erased a 10-point halftime deficit by shooting 52% from the field in the final 20 minutes, outscoring the Chippewas, 47–34, after the break. Wilson's layup put Toledo in front, 66-64, with 5:41 remaining, its first lead since taking a 6-2 advantage early in the contest. The Rockets never trailed the rest of the way with Wilson's two free throws securing the win with 6.9 seconds left.
Phat Phat Brooks led CMU with 17 points, with Logan McIntire adding 15 points.
QUOTING HEAD COACH TOD KOWALCZYK:
"When you're on the road you find a way to win. I thought we played well defensively for the most part, but we need to get rid of our offensive lulls. We started well and then got stuck on six points for a while (leading to a 24-8 deficit). Kyler (Vanderjagt) keeps playing better and better and he's also improving on the defensive end as well. We really needed that."
TOP PERFORMERS
Toledo will remain on the road to face Northern Illinois (5-9, 1-2 MAC) on Tuesday, Jan. 6. The Rockets will then return home to host Miami (15-0, 3-0 MAC) on Friday, Jan. 9 and Ohio (8-7, 2-1 MAC) on Tuesday, Jan. 13.
Vanderjagt powered the Toledo comeback, scoring 23 points on 6-of-9 shooting, knocking down two triples and converting 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. The Grand Rapids, Mich. native played at CMU last year before transferring to Toledo.
Junior Austin Parks recorded his second double-double of the season with 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Junior Sonny Wilson also tallied 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.
The Rockets erased a 10-point halftime deficit by shooting 52% from the field in the final 20 minutes, outscoring the Chippewas, 47–34, after the break. Wilson's layup put Toledo in front, 66-64, with 5:41 remaining, its first lead since taking a 6-2 advantage early in the contest. The Rockets never trailed the rest of the way with Wilson's two free throws securing the win with 6.9 seconds left.
Phat Phat Brooks led CMU with 17 points, with Logan McIntire adding 15 points.
QUOTING HEAD COACH TOD KOWALCZYK:
"When you're on the road you find a way to win. I thought we played well defensively for the most part, but we need to get rid of our offensive lulls. We started well and then got stuck on six points for a while (leading to a 24-8 deficit). Kyler (Vanderjagt) keeps playing better and better and he's also improving on the defensive end as well. We really needed that."
TOP PERFORMERS
- Kyler Vanderjagt: 23 pts., 6-9 FG, 9-10 FT
- Sonny Wilson: 16 pts., 6 reb. 5 asst.
- Austin Parks: 15 pts., 11 reb. – 2nd double-double
- Sean Craig: 11 pts., 8 reb., 4-6 FG
- Leroy Blyden Jr.: 10 pts., 5 asst., 4 reb., 5-5 FT
- Field-Goal %: Toledo 40.0%, CMU 48.3%
- Three-Point FG%: Toledo 4-12 (33.3%), CMU 8-19 (42.1%)
- Free Throws: Toledo 26-32 (81.3%), CMU 9-12 (75.0%)
- Rebounds: Toledo 41, CMU 28
- Assists/Turnovers: Toledo 13/7, CMU 12/9
- Sonny Wilson has scored in double figures in 31 straight games dating back to last season.
- Vanderjagt's 23 points were two points shy of his career high set last year as a member of the Chippewas.
- Toledo has won seven of its last eight meetings vs. the Chippewas.
- Toledo converted 18-of-22 attempts from the free-throw line in the final 20 minutes.
- The Rockets committed just seven turnovers and is averaging 7.8 miscues per game in their last five contests.
- Toledo dominated the glass with a 41–28 rebounding advantage, including 13 on the offensive end.
Toledo will remain on the road to face Northern Illinois (5-9, 1-2 MAC) on Tuesday, Jan. 6. The Rockets will then return home to host Miami (15-0, 3-0 MAC) on Friday, Jan. 9 and Ohio (8-7, 2-1 MAC) on Tuesday, Jan. 13.
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