The University of Toledo
03/09/2024 | Press release | Archived content
Champions Again: Toledo Captures Fourth Straight Outright MAC Title
Champions Again: Toledo Captures Fourth Straight Outright MAC Title
The Toledo men's basketball team continued its historical run Friday night by capturing its fourth consecutive outright Mid-American Conference title with an 86-71 victory over Kent State before 6,520 fans in Savage Arena. The Rockets (20-11, 14-4 MAC) are just the second program ever to win four straight league titles, joining the University of Cincinnati which won four straight (1948-51) in the infancy of the conference.
Toledo entered the day tied for first place with Akron (21-10, 13-15). However, the Zips dropped a 90-84 decision at Western Michigan earlier in the evening to give UT the opportunity take sole possession of another crown.
The Toledo men's basketball team celebrate after beating Kent State, 86-71, to capture the team's fourth consecutive outright Mid-American Conference title.
"I'm proud of this team and how we weathered a lot of storms and won a fourth straight outright championship," Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk said. "Celebrations like this never get old. This is a special group."
The Rockets will be the No. 1 seed in next week's MAC Tournament and will meet the No. 8 Golden Flashes (15-16, 8-10 MAC) again in a quarterfinal match-up on Thursday, March 14, at 11 a.m. in Cleveland's Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. For more information or to purchase MAC Tournament tickets, please visit utrockets.com/mactournament.
Juniors Ra'Heim Moss and Dante Maddox Jr. led Toledo offensively with 21 and 18 points, respectively. The duo was joined in double figures by junior Andre Lorentsson (13 pts.) and redshirt freshman Javan Simmons (10 pts.).
Simmons also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds to help the Rockets to a 35-34 advantage on the glass.
Toledo was efficient offensively with a 51.8 FG%, a 41.7 three-point FG% (10-of-24) and an 81.8 FT%. The Rockets also collected 17 assists with Moss dishing out a team-high seven.
UT limited Kent State to a 42.4 shooting mark and a 34.8% clip from three-point range.
Toledo never trailed in the contest and held a 36-26 halftime advantage. The Rockets' largest lead in the contest was 17 points.