Ohio (15-13 overall, 9-6 Mid-American Conference) will face off against Toledo after a week off in a huge matchup with MAC tournament implications on the line.
These two teams met earlier this season, and it ended with a big Toledo win that saw the Rockets score over 100 points.
The Bobcats were on fire in the first half, shooting 8-14 from deep, but the hot streak didn’t last as they shot just 1-9 from three in the second half. Toledo took advantage of the shooting slump and got the win in Javan Simmons’ return to Savage Arena.
That win made it a staggering 10 straight wins for Toledo over Ohio, a monkey that Jeff Boals needs to get off his back. This weekend’s game provides a great opportunity to remove that monkey and make it three straight wins down the home stretch of the season for the Bobcats.
Ohio currently sits at fourth in the MAC, tied with Toledo at 9-6 in conference play, making this game one of the biggest of Ohio’s season up to this point. A win would do wonders for a team that has two more tough games left on the schedule, with a road trip to UMass following the Toledo game, and a Battle of the Bricks rematch at home on ESPN to end the season.
In a season that has had many ups and downs, Toledo and the rest of the schedule pose a huge opportunity for the Bobcats to make a statement.
With that said, let’s take a look at the Rockets.
Game Information
Opponent: Toledo Rockets
Location: The Convocation Center (Athens, Ohio)
Time: Saturday 4 p.m.
Where to watch: ESPN+
Follow live stats here
Meet the Opponent:
Head coach: Tod Kowalczyk (15th season)
Projected Starters:
#02 Leroy Blyden Jr.
#03 Sonny Wilson
#04 Kyler Vanderjagt
#07 Sean Craig
#25 Austin Parks
Statistical leaders:
Points: Wilson (17.2 per game)
Assists: Wilson (4.6 per game)
Rebounds: Craig (7.4 per game)
Steals: Blyden Jr. (1.7 per game)
Blocks: Parks (1.5 per game)
FG%: Parks (61.6%)
3-point percentage: Blyden Jr. (41.0%)
Ohio player to watch: Javan Simmons
Simmons is a rare case of a player who transferred in-conference, coming to Ohio from Toledo. Despite the tough loss in Toledo earlier this season, Simmons will be looking to play his best game as a Bobcat on Saturday.
“We're going to go ahead, and we're going to try and knock them off,” Simmons said on Toledo. “I know it's going to be a tough game. It’s always a high-level game… I don't know about my teammates, but for me, it's a revenge game.”
The redshirt junior forward led Ohio in scoring the first time the two teams played this season, with 21 points while adding six rebounds. He will look to top that performance this Saturday in a huge game for Ohio.
