vs. Toledo (1/30)

[mbenecke]

Folks, this is the big one. It's truly now or never, for this team.

Our Falcons (10-6, 6-4 MAC) return home to the Stroh Center on Saturday, January 30, looking to break their losing skid and begin to change the trajectory of the season. Standing in their way? The Toledo Rockets (14-4, 9-1 MAC), who currently sit in first place in the MAC. The game is set to tip at 5:00pm, and it's going to be broadcast on ESPN+.

On the Rocket Resume is 2 close wins (two points each) over Kent State, an OT loss to Akron, and a 3-point loss at Xavier at the beginning of the year. They are coming in following a 9-point win at Miami on Tuesday, their third win in a row and 11th in 12 games. This Toledo team seems to be as good as any they've had in a while.

Meanwhile, we're on a streak of frustrating losses and completely lacking direction. This game truly feels like it'll be the turning point for this team - with a win, we are right back in things, while we might completely fall off the rails with a loss. This game is THAT important.

On the personal side of things, Justin Turner needs just 17 points to pass Anthony Stacey as the program's all-time leading scorer, which is an incredible accomplishment. Regardless of the result, I'm really hoping Juice gets a chance to break that record at home on Saturday. However, wouldn't it be a great story for him to tell his kids and grandkids, that he broke the scoring record at the Stroh while they beat Toledo? That's certainly enough motivation for me.

MAC MBB Standings:

1. Toledo 9-1
2. Akron 7-2
3. Kent State 5-3
4. Bowling Green 6-4
5. Buffalo 4-3
6. Miami 4-3
7. Ohio 5-4
8. Ball State 4-4
9. CMU 2-6
10. WMU 1-6
11. Northern Illinois 1-6
12. EMU 1-7

Go Falcons - Beat Toledo!

[hammb]

It was nice to see the team actually show up with a bit of energy last night, but they still lost. Defensively they weren't good, and it was certainly one of those nights shooting for KSU. Still, we kept with them for most of the game, and could not make plays down the stretch. Way too many possessions where we attempted to do nothing resembling an offense, either had Juice driving into a mass of bodies, or dribble handoffs until somebody randomly decided to shoot a contested 3.

We absolutely need to win this game (and really BOTH games) against Toledo if we want to get back into the MAC hunt. We're 0-2 against KSU & Akron already, but we get each of them again as well. If we want to have a shot at the #1 seed, I think we simply must go 4-0 against those 3 teams, and still we'll need help. In reality, I think our only hope at the #1 spot is to win out at this point, the conference is not going to have a 5 loss team as it's champ, IMO.

[Diemilkweed]

If we lose this one - and nobody else plays in between, we'd be in 9th place and out of the MAC tourney.

Wow.

[footballguy51]

I have to wonder if the chase for the career points leader position has created a giant cloud. Does it feel like we're focusing too much, as a team, on making sure Juice gets points? This was like Dylan Frye last year and the three pointers where he went super cold for a stretch when he was getting close to breaking the record, but we kept feeding him the ball to chuck up those shots.

[HoopsFan]

Jacob Washington gets the start today in place of Swingle! No word on Fields.

[mbenecke]

Fields is listed as the starting 2-guard, so Diggs is returning to the bench.

Toledo is lights out from deep, so we're going to need to defend the perimeter really well today in order to have a chance.

Almost gametime, folks...

[mbenecke]

With 16 minutes to play in the first half, Toledo leads 7-0.

We're getting good looks and crashing the offensive glass, but we can't find the bottom of the basket. Even the easy looks aren't dropping yet.

Gotta stay with it. Shots should start falling soon.

[hammb]

With 16 minutes to play in the first half, Toledo leads 7-0.

We're getting good looks and crashing the offensive glass, but we can't find the bottom of the basket. Even the easy looks aren't dropping yet.

Gotta stay with it. Shots should start falling soon.

What good looks did we get in those ten shots? Half were forced put backs the rest were contested.

I counted exactly one good shot off a pass, the Matheny missed 3

We're still not running a damned offense at all

[mbenecke]

Under-12, Toledo leads 12-10.

BG was down by as much as 9, but we've hit our stride a little bit on offense. It all started with a headband-less Plowden hitting a triple.

Juice hasn't scored yet. He looks a little timid/passive (0/3 so far) - I truly wonder if the record talk is weighing on him. I think we'll be a better, more relaxed team when he breaks that glass ceiling.

[mbenecke]

Under 8, we're now tied at 21, and BG has the momentum. After a Diggs triple, Fulcher steals one away and hammers it home, then our defense gets after them and forces a throwaway. I like this version of us - when we play hard, I love this team.

[HoopsFan]

Awesome dunk by Fulcher after the steal.

[mbenecke]

Juice is now 0/6 from the floor. He needs to see one go through the net in the worst way.

[mbenecke]

With 3:48 to play in the first half, Toledo leads 27-24.

BG had gained their first lead of the game, but UT has scored 4 straight and they have 2 free throws on the other side of the media timeout.

[Hammer]

Our guys are playing harder but there is still no sign of an offense being ran.

[Hammer]

Still the same team, no change.