The Rockets' strong defensive effort limited the Tigers to an opponent season-low 32.8 field-goal percentage en route to their largest margin of victory this season.
Sophomore center Luke Knapke and . . .
Navigato, who knocked down five of six field-goal attempts, also spurred the Rockets to a 42-31 advantage on the boards with a career-high 10 rebounds to register his first double-double as a collegian. Fletcher didn't score in double digits for the first time as a Rocket, but he grabbed eight rebounds and dished out a game-high six assists.
Toledo (6-5) shot 45.1 percent from the field and was 10-of-26 (38.5 percent) from three-point range. UT also knocked down a season-high 27 free throws in 34 attempts and posted an efficient 16 assist/nine turnover ratio.
Junior guard Jeremiah Jefferson and junior forward Maurice Rivers led Jackson State (3-9) with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Sanford keyed a quick start for the Rockets by scoring 11 points in the early going to help UT surge to a 14-4 lead with 15:47 to play in the first half.
Jackson State clawed its way back to within two points on a pair of occasions before UT seized control of the contest. The Rockets held the Tigers scoreless over the final eight minutes of the first half to take a 43-27 lead into the locker room.
A pair of Navigato three-pointers quickly helped Toledo expand its lead to 23 points, 55-32, less than four minutes into the second half. Jackson State didn't reduce its deficit to lower than 18 points the remainder of the game.
Toledo returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 23 when it travels to Cleveland, Ohio to face Horizon League foe Cleveland State (3-7). Tip-off time is set for 2:00 p.m. ET
(Courtesy of UT Athletics)