Toledo to Face No. 6 Michigan State on National TV on Thursday Night

Thursday, November 5

East Lansing, Mich.

8:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

Michigan State

Angel Montas Jr. tallied 16 points and 10 rebounds in his Rocket debut at Arkansas State.

Photo by: SavannahMunkel

11/4/2026 2:47:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes (PDF)

Rockets and Spartans to tip off at 8 p.m. on NBC Sports Network and Peacock

TOLEDO, Ohio - The Toledo men's basketball team continues a challenging week to open its 2026-27 campaign when it visits No. 6 Michigan State (1-0) on Thursday, Nov. 5. Tip-off time for the contest with the Spartans is 8 p.m. on NBC Sports Network and Peacock. MSU is the highest-ranked opponent UT has faced since meeting No. 2 Kansas in 2017.

The Rockets dropped a heartbreaking 71-70 decision in its season opener on Monday night at Sun Belt Conference preseason favorite Arkansas State. Mynor Strong tied his career high with 18 points with Jaylan Ouwinga (16 pts.-14 reb.) and Angel Montas Jr. (16 pts.-10 reb.) both posting double-doubles to lead Toledo. Sean Jones joined Montas in excelling in his Rocket debut by dishing out a career-high nine assists.

Arkansas State led by as many as 12 points in the first half and held a 60-51 lead with 7:03 left before the Rockets rallied. Montas' layup put UT in front 68-67 with 1:36 remaining, and Ouwinga's jumper then evened the contest at 70-70.

Toledo finished in fourth place in the Mid-American Conference last year, marking the sixth consecutive season it has posted a top-four league finish. The Rockets previously won the league title in 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.

The Rockets are picked to finish second in the MAC in this year's preseason poll by the league's head coaches, with Miami predicted to win the league title. Jones and Austin Parks were also honored by being named to the Preseason All-MAC Second Team squad.

Michigan State opened its season on Monday night with a 96-59 win over Quinnipiac. Four Spartans scored in double figures with Jeremy Fears Jr. leading the way with 13 points and 11 assists.

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026.
Tip-Off: 8:00 p.m.
Location: East Lansing, Mich.
Arena: Breslin Center (14,759).
Television: NBC Sports Network. Jason Benetti will provide play-by-play with Robbie Hummel 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
MSU leads 7-3. Toledo has lost its last three meetings vs. the Spartans since posting an 81-76 win on Dec. 30, 2002. The three defeats came in 2009 (75-62), 2021 (81-68) and last year (92-69).

POST TOUCHES
• Mynor Strong opened the season right where he left off by tying his season high with 18 points at Arkansas State. He previously scored 18 points in Toledo's regular-season finale last year vs. Buffalo and tallied 17 points in the MAC semifinals vs. UMass. Strong averaged 11.6 ppg with a 50.0 3FG% (13-of-26) in his final SEVEN games last year.
• Jaylan Ouwinga registered his FIRST double-digit rebound outing with his career-high 16-point, 14-rebound effort at Arkansas State. Ouwinga scored in double digits on seven occasions last year.
• Angel Montas' double-double in his Rocket debut was the THIRD of his collegiate career. He averaged a career-high 15.8 ppg, including 20.0 ppg in league play, to earn First-Team America East honors at UMass-Lowell last season.
• Sean Jones' career-high nine assists at Arkansas State in his Rocket debut were the most by a Mid-American Conference player on opening night.
• Seven Rockets are donning a Midnight Blue and Gold uniform for the first time this season. Transfers Rich Barron (Jr.-R, F), Sean Jones (Sr.-R, G), and Angel Montas Jr. (Sr.-R, G) have been joined by four incoming freshmen — G Jaylohn Allen (Ypsilanti, Mich.), G Manny Johnson (Toledo, Ohio), G Marco Mattucci (New Albany, Ohio), and F Rashaun Porter (Chicago, Ill.).
• UT's roster in the 2025-26 season included 10 newcomers with five transfers and five freshmen.

MATCHUPS VS. SPARTANS IN FOOTBALL, MEN'S HOOPS & WOMEN'S HOOPS
• Toledo is facing Michigan State in football, men's basketball and women's basketball this year. UT football dropped a 30-20 decision in its season opener in East Lansing on Sept. 4.
• Toledo's women will host Michigan State's women's squad in Savage Arena on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 2 p.m.

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 NINE years as well as EIGHT 20-win campaigns in the last 13 seasons.
• The Rockets tied a school record with 27 victories in the 2022-23 campaign, matching the total by the 2013-14 squad.

ROCKETS VS. BIG TEN
• Toledo possesses an all-time mark of 27-49 vs. schools from the Big Ten Conference.
• The Rockets' last contest against a Big Ten foe came at Michigan State last season.
• Toledo is 2-2 vs. Illinois, 1-4 vs. Indiana, 3-1 vs. Iowa, 8-15 vs. Michigan, 3-7 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 play its third road game in six days when it travels to Huntington, W. Va. to battle Marshall on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. The Rockets will host Wright State in their home opener on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.