Rockets advance to MAC Tournament semifinals with 78-67 victory over Eastern Michigan

March 12, 2015 | Athletics, News
By Steve Easton



No. 4 seed Toledo led the entire game Thursday evening in a 78-67 third-round victory over No. 8 seed Eastern Michigan in the 2015 Mid-American Conference Tournament.

Senior J.D. Weatherspoon notched his fourth straight double-double in UT's 78-67 win over Eastern Michigan.

Senior J.D. Weatherspoon notched his fourth straight double-double in UT’s 78-67 win over Eastern Michigan.

The Rockets will face No. 1 seed Central Michigan in the semifinals Friday, March 13, at 6:30 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

UT was powered to the victory by the inside tandem of junior center Nathan Boothe (career-high 20 points and nine rebounds) and senior forward J.D. Weatherspoon (13 points and career-high 15 boards). Weatherspoon’s double-double was his fourth straight and his 10th of the season and helped the Rockets register a 44-33 advantage on the boards.

Senior guard Julius Brown also played a pivotal role for Toledo, tallying 17 points and tying his season high with eight assists and committing just one turnover in 34 minutes.

Also scoring in double figures was senior guard Justin Drummond with 11 points and five rebounds.

Sophomore guard Raven Lee paced the Eagles with 16 points.

Toledo limited Eastern Michigan to a 37.5 field-goal percentage, including an 8 of 28 showing from behind the three-point arc. The Rockets shot 48.3 percent from the field and 17 of 23 (73.9 percent) at the free-throw line.

UT’s victory was its fifth straight win over the Eagles in MAC Tournament play and placed the Rockets into the MAC semifinals for a second consecutive season.

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