Junior Yeikson Montero scored . . .
Shining in the post was redshirt senior Boubacar Toure, who registered10 points while pulling down 16 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season and 16th as an Eagle. From there, redshirt junior Ty Groce added 10 points, three boards, and three assists, while junior Darion Spottsville contributed five points and led the Green and White with four steals and four helpers.
EMU shot 52 percent (13-of-25) from the floor during the second half and 46 percent (23-of-50) overall, while holding UT to a 37.5 percent efficiency. The hosts also bested Toledo in points in the paint (24-10), steals (10-3), rebounds (33-30), and blocks (3-0).
The Eagles used the long ball to grab an early lead against their division rivals, as junior Thomas Binelli, Groce, and Montero all knocked down triples to give the Green and White a 9-6 edge heading into the first media stoppage. Toure then added a hook shot to give EMU its largest lead of the half, 11-6, with 15:23 to go in the opening frame.
Toledo eventually knotted the score at 13, but Toure answered with a pair of layups to put EMU back in front, 17-13, with 7:20 left in the first half. The Rockets used an 8-0 run to seize a 21-17 lead with fewer than six minutes to go in the first half, but EMU slowly chipped away as Montero added another three-pointer to close the gap to 25-24 heading into the intermission.
A three-pointer by center Luke Knapke staked Toledo to a 40-37 edge, but the Eagles responded by preventing the Rockets from making a field goal for nearly seven minutes. In all, EMU used a 14-3 run to open up a commanding 54-43 lead with 7:37 to go in regulation.
Montero knocked down his fifth and final triple of the afternoon to give EMU a 57-48 cushion with 4:59 to go. Junior Noah Morgan added a lay-up with exactly two minutes to go before the Eagles used a couple free throws to help fend off the Rockets, 61-57.
(Courtesy of EMU Athletics)