By MIKE SMITH
TOLEDO, Ohio -- After pulling out a big road win at Buffalo in the final seconds Tuesday, the Toledo Rockets spent most of Saturday in cruise control. Every UT starter and one player off the bench reached double figures as Toledo blasted Miami, 93-49 at Savage Arena.
With their win, the Rockets moved to 16-9 overall and 7-5 in MAC play, identical marks to co-MAC West leader Ball State, which gets its turn at Miami on Tuesday. The RedHawks fell to BSU earlier in the season, surrendering a healthy lead before losing on a field goal in the final seconds.
Miami 9-16, 3-9 MAC, had won three of its last four outings, including a 45-44 decision Tuesday at Western Michigan. Scoring in the 40s, however, would not be anywhere near close enough against a hot Toledo team Saturday.
The Rockets had . . .
TOLEDO, Ohio -- After pulling out a big road win at Buffalo in the final seconds Tuesday, the Toledo Rockets spent most of Saturday in cruise control. Every UT starter and one player off the bench reached double figures as Toledo blasted Miami, 93-49 at Savage Arena.
With their win, the Rockets moved to 16-9 overall and 7-5 in MAC play, identical marks to co-MAC West leader Ball State, which gets its turn at Miami on Tuesday. The RedHawks fell to BSU earlier in the season, surrendering a healthy lead before losing on a field goal in the final seconds.
Miami 9-16, 3-9 MAC, had won three of its last four outings, including a 45-44 decision Tuesday at Western Michigan. Scoring in the 40s, however, would not be anywhere near close enough against a hot Toledo team Saturday.
The Rockets had . . .
. . . led by as many as 28 points before winning by 12 (84-76) in Oxford. It was worse this time around as UT held a 56-point advantage at one point.
“We were faced with adversity, and we didn’t handle it very well,” Miami head coach John Cooper said.
Adversity showed up early, with Toledo jumping out to a 13-1 lead before Dion Wade hit MU’s first field goal – a 3-pointer – at 15:26. The RedHawks, who rank last among MAC teams in field goal percentage, 3-point goal percentage and scoring, would not get another field goal until Ali Barnes hit a jumper at 10:20. By that time, the hosts owned a 22-6 lead.
Toledo owned a 35-18 lead after Rod Mills hit a trey for the RedHawks with 2:58 remaining, and neither team scored again before intermission.
Miami made 7-of-30 (23.3%) from the field and 3-of-15 (20%) on treys in the period. Toledo connected on 13-of-29 (44.8%) overall and 4-of-10 (40%) from distance.
The Rockets offense went back into high gear when play resumed, outscoring Miami 17-2 to start the period. MU’s sole basket in that span came on an LJ Livingston dunk.
Toledo held a 52-20 lead before Geovonie McKnight made a three at 15:02. That seemed to get the RedHawks offense untracked a bit, but Toledo continued to score.
“They’re making shots and they’re confident,” Cooper said. “They were knocking down shots left and right.”
By the final horn, Toledo had made 18-of-26 shots (69.2%) from the field, including 7-of-8 treys, in the second half. Five of the 3-point goals came in an 23-2 run that put the hosts up 88-32 with 7:51 remaining.
Abdoulaye Harouna, a sophomore guard, hit all 11 of his points in the final 4:19 to lead Miami, which had had one player in double figures. Toledo’s six players in double figures included three with 15 points apiece: Zach Garber, Jonathan Williams and Nate Navigato. Jaelan Sanford tossed in 13 points, while Nathan Booth added 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Toledo connected on 31-of-55 (56.4%) from the field and 11-of-18 (61.1%) on threes over 40 minutes. The Rockets also doubled Miami up in rebounds (44-22)
Miami made 17-of-26 (30.4%) overall and 6-of-26 (23.1%) from beyond the arc.
NEXT:
Ball State at Miami (Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET)
Toledo at Central Michigan (7 p.m. ET)
“We were faced with adversity, and we didn’t handle it very well,” Miami head coach John Cooper said.
Adversity showed up early, with Toledo jumping out to a 13-1 lead before Dion Wade hit MU’s first field goal – a 3-pointer – at 15:26. The RedHawks, who rank last among MAC teams in field goal percentage, 3-point goal percentage and scoring, would not get another field goal until Ali Barnes hit a jumper at 10:20. By that time, the hosts owned a 22-6 lead.
Toledo owned a 35-18 lead after Rod Mills hit a trey for the RedHawks with 2:58 remaining, and neither team scored again before intermission.
Miami made 7-of-30 (23.3%) from the field and 3-of-15 (20%) on treys in the period. Toledo connected on 13-of-29 (44.8%) overall and 4-of-10 (40%) from distance.
The Rockets offense went back into high gear when play resumed, outscoring Miami 17-2 to start the period. MU’s sole basket in that span came on an LJ Livingston dunk.
Toledo held a 52-20 lead before Geovonie McKnight made a three at 15:02. That seemed to get the RedHawks offense untracked a bit, but Toledo continued to score.
“They’re making shots and they’re confident,” Cooper said. “They were knocking down shots left and right.”
By the final horn, Toledo had made 18-of-26 shots (69.2%) from the field, including 7-of-8 treys, in the second half. Five of the 3-point goals came in an 23-2 run that put the hosts up 88-32 with 7:51 remaining.
Abdoulaye Harouna, a sophomore guard, hit all 11 of his points in the final 4:19 to lead Miami, which had had one player in double figures. Toledo’s six players in double figures included three with 15 points apiece: Zach Garber, Jonathan Williams and Nate Navigato. Jaelan Sanford tossed in 13 points, while Nathan Booth added 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Toledo connected on 31-of-55 (56.4%) from the field and 11-of-18 (61.1%) on threes over 40 minutes. The Rockets also doubled Miami up in rebounds (44-22)
Miami made 17-of-26 (30.4%) overall and 6-of-26 (23.1%) from beyond the arc.
NEXT:
Ball State at Miami (Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET)
Toledo at Central Michigan (7 p.m. ET)
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