Tod Kowalczyk has been confident in the 2021-22 Toledo Rockets since the summer months.
It was easy to see why on Saturday.
In a 93-68 exhibition win over Hillsdale, Toledo puts its offensive flair, opportunistic defense, and talented bench on full display at Savage Arena.
“We have a lot of pieces, and that was without Seth Millner, who’s one of the better players in our league,” Toledo coach Tod Kowalczyk said.
Toledo’s starting five was guards RayJ Dennis, Ryan Rollins, and Ra’Heim Moss, and forwards J.T. Shumate and Kooper Jacobi. Millner was out of town attending a funeral. Jacobi, a true freshman, is expected to be the sixth man during the regular season.
Rollins, the Mid-American Conference’s reigning freshman of the year, had a game-high 30 points on 11-of-20 shooting, with four rebounds, two blocked shots, and two steals.
Dennis, a Boise State transfer, flashed his all-around skills with 15 points and five assists. Shumate had 15 points, four rebounds, and four steals, and Moss had 14 points, eight rebounds, and four steals.
Toledo shot 56 percent from the field, but struggled from beyond the arc (5-of-16), scoring 52 points in the paint. The Rockets outrebounded Hillsdale 37-28, limiting the Chargers to six offensive rebounds and forcing 18 turnovers.
“I just loved their energy,” Kowalczyk said. “I thought Ra’Heim Moss was the catalyst. I thought we played exceptionally hard, shared the ball. For a first exhibition game, I thought we played very clean.”
Toledo’s true freshmen — Jacobi, Elijah Wilson, E.J. Farmer, and Mihai Carcoana — were a combined 6-of-15 shooting with 17 points, 14 rebounds, and four assists. Jacobi had eight rebounds, and Carcoana scored eight points.
Hillsdale shot 46 percent, led by 6-foot-8 forward Patrick Cartier’s 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting.
The Rockets travel to the University of Findlay for their second exhibition game next Saturday at 1 p.m.
First Published October 23, 2021, 8:43 p.m.
