Rockets losing streak stretches to 19 games

The Rockets fell to Western Michigan 61-41 last night, extending the school's longest losing streak to 19 games. Toledo trailed by as many as 25 and was outscored 30-8 inside the paint.

"That's why they shot 54 percent, because they got points in the paint and we didn't," Toledo Head Coach Gene Cross said. "I think that they were tougher defensively in the post than we were. They were more physical in the post than we were. You throw Justin Anyijong in there and he's 200 pounds soaking wet. It's hard for him, and he and Salter need to get stronger. [Jordan] Dressler, he's got to be in better position and he's got to move his feet better. So we throw Malcolm [Griffin] in as an interior player and gives up two offensive rebounds. I mean there are things that we did that the directly contributed to them scoring the way that they did which is just as much mental toughness."

The Rockets (3-26, 0-14 Mid-American Conference) trailed by just 25-21 at halftime, but a 14-3 WMU run to begin the half pushed Toledo out of reach as they trailed by double digits for the remainder of the game.

"I thought that the first half was a pretty decent half," Cross said. "I talked about coming out in the second half and how important the first four minutes were. Obviously the talk didn't go as well as I would have liked. They started on a 14-3 run and there's the game."

Toledo shot just 31 percent from field while only four players were able to score more than one field goal in the contest. Freshman guard Jake Barnett was 6-for-15 from the field and 5-of-10 from beyond the arc en route to a 17-point performance, 11 of which came in the first half. Anyijong was just 3-for-15 from the field and finished with 11 points while freshman forward Dressler added six points and a career-high eight rebounds. Barnett and Anyijong shot a combined 30 of the team's 45 shots.

"I think it's just the way it worked out, we had a lot of open looks," Barnett said. "I actually noticed it right away that there were a lot of drives and kicks and there were a lot of open looks for Justin and me. I figured if we're the open ones then we got to be the ones who knock it down."

Freshman guard Kevin Rohner added a career-high five points in just three minutes of playing time.

"We struggle to score, and he's another person who can put the ball in the hole," Cross said. "So he probably will play more minutes [in the future]."

Western Michigan (15-13, 7-7 MAC) jumped out of the gate to an 11-3 lead as the Rockets began the game 1-for-6 from the field. Toledo responded and brought the game to 13-11 following an 8-2 spurt capped off by a no-look pass from Barnett to Anyijong for a three pointer. Western Michigan answered with a 14-5 run to take a seven-point lead with 2:11 left in the first half. The Rockets trailed 25-21 at the half after Barnett hit a three-pointer for the final field goal of the half.

Western Michigan opened the second half with a steal and a break-away dunk from forward Nate Hutchinson. The Broncos never let up as they pummeled Toledo the entire half, including an 18-3 run during a 6:30 scoring drought to take a 57-32 lead.

"In the second half, I just thought that they got after it a little bit and I wouldn't say we shied away, but we didn't bring it at the same level that they brought it to us," Cross said. "There was just a determination that some of the guys had that we didn't bring in the second half."

The Rockets held MAC leading scorer David Kool (20.8 ppg) to just two points but allowed Martelle McLemore to rattle off 19 points while shooting 7-of-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Flenard Whitfield scored 12 points while Hutchinson and Donald Lawson added seven and six points, respectively.

When asked if there was any extra weight on their shoulders to end the streak this weekend at home Coach Cross responded.

"The only weight is on us is us coming out and playing as hard as we can," Cross said. "It doesn't matter if it's a home game away game neutral site game at the park, I don't care where the game is being played we have to come out and play hard. We have to play harder than we have ever played before."

Toledo hosts Ball State (15-12, 8-6) for the final home game of the season on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 7.p.m as part of a double-header after the women's basketball team plays at 4:30 p.m.

"It doesn't matter if it's a home game, away game, neutral site game, at the park," Cross said. "I don't care where the game is being played. We have to come out and play hard. We have to play harder than we have ever played before."