University of Toledo junior guard Spencer Littleson has always valued the intangible aspects of his game.
That means he believes any loose ball is his. The toughest perimeter player on the opponent's team is his to shut down defensively. And any offensive spark he can provide, he will.
Littleson, a 6-foot-4, 200 pound Duquesne transfer, said he loved watching Ohio State star Aaron Craft growing up, because he embodied the hustle and grit for which Littleson hoped he could become known.
“Watching the guys like Aaron Craft growing up, those are the guys I loved to watch,” Littleson said. “They are diving on the floor, getting those loose balls, getting those extra possessions for their team. That was definitely a guy I wanted to be — leading by example and leading vocally. Diving on the floor, that can change the momentum of a whole game, so that is definitely something I focused on.”
After sitting out a year as a transfer in 2017-18, Littleson played behind All-Mid-American Conference guard Jaelan Sanford as a sophomore in 2018-19.
With Sanford now gone, Littleson has taken his leadership and his overall game to a new level this season while not abandoning his workmanlike mentality on the court.
“The intangible part is what he brought to the table last year,” Toledo coach Tod Kowalczyk said. “Now he's bringing production scoring-wise and consistency. I thought last year he was probably our best perimeter defender and this year there is no question he is. Every game he is assigned to the best player on the opposition and he takes great pride in that. And he is skilled and can make shots.”
Last season, Littleson played 17.7 minutes per game off the bench and averaged 4.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. This season, Littleson has taken on much more of a scoring role, as he showed early on in the season with a career-high 27 points in a win at Marshall.
So far, Littleson is averaging 13.1 points per game this season after he was named a team captain in the offseason.
“Losing a guy like Jaelan, an all-conference player, I knew I was going to have to step up and there was going to be a bigger role for me,” Littleson said. “So that was definitely a focus of mine just doing anything I can to make this team a winning team and as good as a team as we can be. Being named a captain was really good for me. Leadership is a really big thing for me and is something I really focus on. It's definitely something I've been working on this offseason.”
The team has four captains in Littleson, Luke Knapke, Willie Jackson, and Marreon Jackson, and each one brings a little different style of leadership to the Rockets this season.
Kowalczyk has grown to appreciate the style in which Littleson leads the Rockets.
“Spencer's leadership style is enthusiasm, grittiness, toughness, work ethic,” Kowalczyk said. “He's great academically, he's low maintenance, you name it. There's not a negative there. He's an unbelievable leader and a team-first guy. I've said it to him, but I haven't said it enough, how much I love coaching him.”
Littleson had to sit out a year in 2017-18 per NCAA transfer rules. He used the year to grow mentally and learn from upperclassmen like Tre'Shaun Fletcher, Sanford, and Nate Navigato.
“It was a really good learning experience for me,” Littleson said. “It was a really positive experience. I’m happy that I got to sit out a year, because I got to sit back and watch film with coaches and use it as a development year that really helped me.”
Littleson was drawn to Toledo by the coaching staff and the quality of the university. He says his career arc so far with the Rockets has been pretty much what he expected when he made the decision to transfer.
“I think it has played out like I expected,” Littleson said. “Having an All-MAC guy in front of me like Jaelan I knew I was going to have to play my role and everything and I'm still playing my role. I'm slowly each year getting a bigger role, but I knew that and that was to be expected.”
Littleson has taken a step forward offensively so far this season. His 13.1 points per game are third on the team and his 44.2 percent mark from the 3-point line is second on the team.
His mix of offensive skill, defensive intensity, and overall toughness has kept him on the court a lot this season at 30.9 minutes per game. Overall, Kowalczyk said Littleson has made a seamless transition into a starting role.
“He works hard and he started a little bit last year and played some good minutes off the bench,” Kowalczyk said. “But we had Jaelan Sanford, a first-team all-league guy, and he knew that. It was an easy transition for him this year. He is ready.”
First Published December 11, 2019, 7:37 p.m.
