ROCKETS STUMBLE AGAINST BALL STATE

by

Fred Janiszewski

 

 

 

Toledo, OH - For 25 minutes on Saturday evening the Toledo Rockets hung tough with division-leading Ball State in Game Two of a Savage Arena double header, matching the Cardinals basket-for-basket and defensive stop-for-defensive stop, until the visitors cranked up the defensive pressure a few turns, and the final result was a 70-60 defeat.

 

On paper this game looked promising for Toledo, coming on the heels of their first conference victory, a hard-fought 73-60 win over Western Michigan. To be sure, the Cardinals were coming to town with a 12-4 record and they were undefeated in four MAC games, but none of those conference wins were blowouts, and the Rockets matched up pretty well with the BSU players.

 

The Rocket women had taken care of business against Buffalo in the opening game and a pretty fair contingent of those loyal fans who follow the Lady Rockets swelled the attendance for the men’s game to 5,015 on this ultra cold evening.

 

Ball State grabbed a quick lead out of the blocks that lasted until Toledo’s Anthony Wright  canned a trey to give the Rockets a 6-4 lead. Ball State guard Randy Davis immediately countered with a triple of his own to put the visitors back on top by a point. A minute and change later, Reese Holliday scored on a layup to give the Rockets a one-point lead and, except for a 16-all tie, UT would retain the lead throughout the half. Toledo led by as many as seven points, 25-18, after Malcolm Griffin drained a trey with 5:16 to play in the period, but the Cards just wouldn't let the Midnight Blue and Gold make any kind of meaningful run to get some distance.

 

Jarrod Jones brought Ball State to within a point, 27-26, with a basket at the 2:04 mark and that would be all of the scoring for either team until the second half.

 

Malcolm Griffin (photo right) had 13 points to lead all scorers at the half-way mark and Toledo shot a respectable 11-of-24 from the floor. Toledo also had a commanding 18-8 lead in rebounding during the opening stanza.

 

The second half began with both teams missing shots and turning the ball over with regularity. The score was knotted at 30 with 15:15 to play when the game seemed to turn in Ball State’s favor.

 

It began innocently enough with Reese Holliday missing a pair of free throw opportunities. The Cardinals then took the ball right down the court where Jauwan Scaife scored on a jumper in the paint and drew a foul in the process. After Scaife converted the traditional three-point play, the visitors immediately threw a full court press at the Rockets and this proved to be Toledo’s undoing.

 

Three UT turnovers seemed to fuel Ball State’s defensive pressure and the press served to further unnerve Toledo, even when the team was working its half-court offense. Ball State worked its way out to a 10-point 47-37 lead with 7:06 to play and this year’s version of the Toledo Rockets doesn't have the ability to make up a double-digit deficit against a team like the Cardinals.

 

From about the five minute mark on, the game became a free throw fest with Toledo pressing and fouling in an effort to create some turnovers and get the ball back. A problem for the Rockets was that the ball was almost always in the hands of Davis, Ball State’s point guard and he was just deadly at the line. Davis made 10-of-10 free throw attempts down the stretch and he was a perfect 14-of-14 from the line for the game.

 

Try as they might, and believe me they really tried, Toledo just couldn't come back against the Cardinals. The Rockets never quit playing: the effort was certainly there but Ball State wouldn't be denied.

 

For the third consecutive game Malcom Griffin has stepped up big for the Rockets, netting 25 points against Ball State. Reese Holliday also had a big game for Toledo, earning a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. His rebounding total was high for both teams. Anthony Wright had 10 points and six rebounds to help the Rocket cause.

 

Davis had 24 points to lead the Ball State attack, Scaife had 13 points, and Jones finished with 12 points.

 

After all is said and done, Ball State won this game at the foul line, converting on 26 of 31 attempts. The Rockets got to the line 21 times, converting on 13 attempts.

 

After calling a total of just 11 fouls in the first half, the trio of officials working the game blew their whistles for 42 violations after intermission.

 

There is no rest for the Rockets as they have just three days to prepare for a visit from Bowling Green on Tuesday evening at Savage Arena.