 "Photo: Jason Mack / IC")
After tying the score at 59 on Saturday, the Rockets went scoreless in the final 4:46 of the game for their 14th-straight loss, falling 65-59 at home to Buffalo. The Rockets also let a close game slip away at home on Thursday in a 65-58 overtime loss against Ohio.
“They made plays at the end,” Cross said. “Our guys showed our lack of experience and maturity down the stretch.”
“We can’t play 36 minutes and not finish a ball game,” freshman guard Jake Barnett said. “We have to learn how to finish a team off.
“It’s the hardest step, and that’s what makes teams good.”
Freshman forward Jordan Dressler registered career highs with 19 points in 36 minutes, shooting 9-of-13 from the field as the Rockets (3-21, 0-10 Mid-American Conference) dominated points in the paint 42-22.
“It’s always the game plan to work it inside and the outside shots will open up,” Dressler said. “Today there were a lot more openings on the inside.”
However, Buffalo (12-9, 5-5 MAC) outrebounded UT 31-23 and turned 10 offensive rebounds into 18 second-chance points.
Barnett scored 14 points in 38 minutes and led Toledo with six rebounds. Freshman guard Malcolm Griffin scored 10 points with six assists, four rebounds and a career-high four steals. Junior forward Justin Anyijong scored 10 points with four rebounds and three steals.
Rodney Pierce led the Bulls with 16 points. Calvin Betts and Max Boudreau each scored 11 points and Mitchell Watt scored 10 points with two blocks.
“We have to get better defensively,” Cross said. “We have to get tougher defensively.”
The Rockets made 16-of-26 shots in the first half and 10-of-25 shots in the second half to finish 51 percent from the field. Buffalo made 23-of-46 attempts in the game. Dressler played the entire first half and scored 13 points on 6-of-6 shooting.
“We have to have a post presence,” Cross said. “Dressler did a terrific job of establishing himself, and our guards did a terrific job of finding him. They closed that off a little bit in the second half. We have to make shots from the perimeter in order to keep it open.”
Anyijong made triples on back-to-back possessions to give the Rockets a 6-2 lead 2:16 into the game.
Betts made a three-pointer to tie it 4:45 into the game. Griffin hit a three-pointer 40 seconds later to give Toledo a 12-9 lead.
Freshman guard Josh Freelove scored all four of his points during a 6-0 run to give the Rockets their largest lead of the game at 31-22 with 6:38 remaining. Pierce hit a triple 15 seconds later to break the run.
Watt scored six points in the final 1:12 of the half to pull Buffalo within one at 38-37. He tipped the ball in off a missed shot as time expired.
Toledo opened the second half on a 6-2 run to build a 46-39 lead. Betts hit a pair of free throws to give the Bulls the lead. Boudreau capped an 8-0 run on the next possession with a layup to build Buffalo’s lead to 51-48 with 12:06 to play.
Barnett tied the game with a triple on the next possession, but Boudreau responded with a layup 30 seconds later to retake the lead at 53-51.
Sean Smiley and John Boyer made three-pointers on consecutive possessions for Buffalo to take their largest lead of the game at 59-53 with 7:38 remaining.
The Rockets responded with a 6-0 run to tie the game with 4:46 remaining. Barnett finished the run with a layup and was fouled but missed the free throw.
“I have to make the free throw,” Barnett said. “It was a good drive, but you have to finish a three-point play. It went back to even and they came out and hit the bucket. That’s what it came down to again in the end. They made the right shots at the right time.”
Toledo went scoreless the remainder of the game, missing four shots and turning the ball over twice.
“We grew up again tonight, but we went back to that infancy stage in the last four minutes of the game,” Cross said. “It’s typical for youthful teams and youthful players because you usually revert back to what you were at some point.”
On Thursday, the Rockets lost 66-58 in overtime at home to Ohio (12-11, 3-6). Barnett made a three pointer with seven seconds remaining in regulation, but UT scored just three points in all of overtime.
Barnett finished the game with 19 points and seven rebounds. Anyijong lead the Rockets with 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Dressler had 14 points and seven rebounds.
Toledo plays on the road Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Miami (OH) (10-3, 7-3).
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