ESTERO, Fla. — Before Monday’s game against Missouri-Kansas City, Toledo coach Tod Kowalczyk and senior forward Setric Millner, Jr., said they wanted to see the Rockets play 40 minutes of all-out hustle defense.
They’ll have to wait another day because it didn’t happen against UMKC, which shot 54 percent in an 83-71 upset over UT in the first round of the Gulf Coast Showcase.
In the second half, the Roos were 14 of 24 from the field, and 6-foot-5 guard RayQuawndis Mitchell finished with 35 points.
“We have to guard the ball better and stay in front of the dribble better,” Kowalczyk said. “We’re a better defensive team than we were last year. I know it may not show on paper yet, but it’s early.”
Kowalczyk isn’t wrong.
The additions of Tyler Cochran, Dante Maddox, Jr., and AJ Edu provided instant credibility on defense. And that’s on top of All-Mid-American Conference defender Ra’Heim Moss, Millner, RayJ Dennis, and JT Shumate.
But through four games, opponents are shooting 46.6 percent, more than six percentage points higher than last year. They’re five percentage points higher from 3-point range (30.7 to 36.1).
According to KenPom’s calculations, Toledo’s defense ranks sub-200 in effective field-goal percentage, 2-point percentage, and 3-point percentage. The Rockets were near the top 50 last year.
How have the numbers gone sideways?
Part of it came from Valparaiso and Oakland while Toledo was on cruise control in the second half of blowouts. The sample size is also minute in relation to an entire season. But UMKC made it look easy at times with size and athleticism.
“Lack of communication and not being in the right spot at the right times,” Millner said.
The UAB game offered a glimpse of how good Toledo can be on defense.
The Blazers are one of the top mid-majors in the country, and Jordan “Jelly” Walker and Eric Gaines are two of the best mid-major players in the country. UT limited UAB to 31-of-70 shooting, 5 of 21 from 3, and forced 22 turnovers — 11 by Walker and Gaines.
The Rockets are averaging 8.5 steals per game, three more than last season.
“We have to look inside ourselves and play better defense,” Dennis said. “That’s all it comes down to.”
Tuesday’s game against East Carolina isn’t just a chance to win a game. For Toledo, it’s an opportunity to assert itself defensively and use the UMKC loss as a valuable tool while depositing it in the garbage.
“We’ll watch the film,” Kowalczyk said, “and evaluate it.”
First Published November 21, 2022, 11:05 p.m.
