Men's Basketball stays on the road to face Toledo

Rockets look to begin MAC play with a win

The University of Toledo men's basketball team will open Mid-American Conference play on Tuesday, Jan. 3 when they host the Ball State Cardinals at Savage Arena. The Rockets are 7-7 overall this season and 0-2 in the MAC, while the Cardinals are 6-8 overall and 1-1 in the MAC.

Toledo is coming off a 77-69 loss to the Ohio Bobcats on Saturday. The Rockets were led by junior guard Marreon Jackson, who scored 18 points. Senior forward JT Shumate added 15 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore guard Ryan Rollins chipped in 14 points.

Ball State is coming off a 82-74 win over the Eastern Michigan Eagles on Saturday. The Cardinals were led by junior guard Jarron Coleman, who scored 22 points. Senior forward Miryne Thomas added 19 points and 11 rebounds, while senior guard Ishmael El-Amin chipped in 16 points.

The Rockets and Cardinals have met 113 times, with Toledo holding a 65-48 advantage in the series. The Rockets have won the last two meetings, including a 77-64 victory in Toledo last season.

The game will be televised on ESPN+ and can be heard on the Rocket Radio Network.

Keys to the game

• Limit turnovers: The Rockets have averaged 14.6 turnovers per game this season, which is tied for 307th in the country. The Cardinals have forced 14.4 turnovers per game this season, which is tied for 117th in the country.
• Rebound the basketball: The Rockets have been outrebounded by their opponents by an average of 4.1 rebounds per game this season. The Cardinals have outrebounded their opponents by an average of 3.4 rebounds per game this season.
• Make free throws: The Rockets have made 69.2% of their free throws this season, which is 264th in the country. The Cardinals have made 70.2% of their free throws this season, which is 221st in the country.

Prediction

The Rockets are a slight favorite in this game, but the Cardinals are a tough opponent. The Rockets will need to play well in all three phases of the game in order to win. The Cardinals will need to limit their turnovers and make their free throws in order to win.

I predict that the Rockets will win a close game, 72-68.