Toledo Rockets
When: Tuesday November 1st, 9:15 PM MT Tip-off
Line: KenPom, The Lobos are favored by 5 Points
The Rockets Breakdown
Longtime Rockets Coach Tod Kowalczyk has built a mid-west powerhouse at Toledo. With seven 1st place finishes in the MAC since taking over in 2010-2011, including last season. When the program posted a 16-2 conference record, securing the No. 1 seed in their conference tournament before eventually falling to their biggest challenger Kent State.
Coach Kowalczyk lost a few stars from that team, but as a program still utilizing talent development, the Rockets are back in the MAC title hunt once again.
Toledo heads to Henderson undefeated and looking to stay that way on the flight home. Toledo scores at a high rate (86.3 PPG, 51st nationally), knocks the three ball down at a high rate (44.4%, 9th nationally) and play strong defense without sending their opponents to the free throw line much (9.0 opposing FT attempts a game, 5th nationally).
Coach Kowalczyk has a deep team, with no player logging above thirty minutes a game and nine total playing double-digit minutes a game. Leading all of those players is Dante Maddox Jr., Toledo’s floor general. The junior guard is a 3-level scorer and maybe the team’s best three-point shooter (40% from deep). While also logging 3.7 APG & 2.3 SPG, helping contribute to Toledo’s 10.7 SPG, good enough for 27th in the country.
Another Rocket of note is leading scorer (15.7 PPG) and rebounder (6.7 RPG) Ra’Heim Moss. The Springfield, OH native makes his living inside the arc, logging 51.3% on 9.0 2-point field goals a game.
Last in Toledo’s player highlight pool is Tyler Cochran. The combo guard who is well traveled throughout the MAC is a bulldozer at 6-2 220. He also leads his team in steals, with 3.7 a game. Helping contribute to Toledo’s defensive perimeter wall.
These three players help highlight their backcourt strength, but as mentioned prior they are not alone. With five players nearly averaging double-digit point totals, the Lobos will have to play smart and aggressively to neutralize the Rocket’s bench depth. While also knocking down enough shots to avoid their opponent’s high caliber defense.
Prediction: New Mexico 77, Toledo 75
New Mexico had trouble putting away UT Arlington in the Pit and facing a team like Toledo in a neutral site game makes Tuesday night’s clash troublesome for coach Pitino’s still gelling squad.
Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.