Toledo (25-6, 17-3 MAC) opens play in the 2022 Mid-American Conference Tournament as the No. 1 seed on Thursday, March 10, against No. 8 seed Central Michigan (7-22, 6-12 MAC). The contest will be televised on ESPN+ and tip off in Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse at 11 a.m.
The Rockets bring a five-game winning streak into postseason play during which they are scoring 87.2 ppg to go along with a 52.2 FG% and 40.9 three-point FG%. Toledo has excelled defensively during this stretch too, holding opponents to 64.2 ppg and a 36.9 FG%.
The Rockets have won back-to-back outright MAC titles for the first time in program history and captured consecutive league crowns for the first time since 1979-81.
The Rockets have won back-to-back outright MAC titles for the first time in program history and captured consecutive league crowns for the first time since 1979-81. Toledo set a school record with 17 MAC victories this season and its 25 wins are tied for second most in program annals, two behind the 2013-14 squad.
Toledo capped off its season with a dominating 96-56 win over Bowling Green, its largest margin victory ever over its arch-rivals. Junior JT Shumate paced Toledo with 22 points, junior Setric Millner Jr. poured in 19, and sophomore Ryan Rollins scored 18. Redshirt freshman Ra’Heim Moss tallied 15 points, 10 rebounds and a season-high seven assists. Junior RayJ Dennis finished with 12 points and a career-high nine assists.
Rollins ranks third in the MAC with a team-high 19.2 ppg and 1.8 spg and is tied for the team lead with 6.1 rpg. Shumate is second with 15.7 ppg and is grabbing 6.1 rpg. Millner Jr. (15.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and Dennis (12.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 4.2 apg) are also scoring in double digits.
Central Michigan has lost eight of its last nine games with its only victory an 83-69 win at Miami (Feb. 24). During the stretch, the Chippewas nearly pulled out wins over the Rockets (68-66 loss), Kent State (73-71 loss) and Akron (57-56 loss). Freshman Kevin Miller leads CMU with 13.1 ppg and 4.5 apg.
For more information about the 2022 MAC Tournament, fans can visit utrockets.com/MACTournament to learn more about tickets, pregame festivities and more.
