 CLEVELAND STATE 72, TOLEDO 64 Junior G Curtis Dennis topped UT offensively with 14 points, in addition to grabbing six rebounds. Sophomore F Matt Smith (13 pts.) and sophomore F Reese Holliday (12 pts., team-high nine boards) were also in double figures for the Rockets.
The Vikings put four players in double figures with senior G Trey Harmon leading the way with 14 points. Senior G Jeremy Montgomery added 11 points, including nine in the first five minutes of the second half to ignite a 23-4 CSU run to open the second half.
Toledo held a 35-32 advantage on the boards but was hampered by 18 turnovers, its most since committing 20 in its season opener vs. Texas State. Those miscues helped the Vikings to a 26-11 advantage in points off turnovers.
CSU shot 55.2 percent from the field in the second half and finished the contest with a 46.7 mark. The Rockets converted 45.8 percent of their shots but were hurt by a season-low 57.7 mark from the charity stripe. UT entered the contest with a MAC-best 73.0 percentage.
Toledo fell behind early in the contest by a 15-9 margin, but an 11-2 spurt put UT ahead to stay for the remainder of the opening stanza. Dennis tallied five of UT's points during that run and his three-point play put the Rockets up, 20-17, at the 9:32 mark.
Toledo's largest lead of the contest came with just under a minute remaining in the first half when Holliday hit one of two free throws to give the Rockets a 36-28 advantage.
UT returns to action on Tuesday, Jan. 3 when it hosts NAIA foe Indiana-Northwest in its final tune-up prior to opening Mid-American Conference action on Saturday, Jan. 7 at Central Michigan.
Courtesy of Toledo Athletics |
