CLEVELAND — Toledo will play Ohio University in the Mid-American Conference semifinals on Friday.
Have you heard that one before?
It was two years ago when Jeff Boals and the Bobcats upset the top-seeded Rockets en route to a MAC championship. The storybook season for Ohio went all the way to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
UT hopes to author a similar story this season and prove that the foibles of 2021 and 2022 are no longer present.
BASICS
■ Who: No. 1 seed Toledo (26-6) vs. No. 5 seed Ohio (19-13)
■ Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland
■ When: Friday, March 10, 5 p.m.
■ Point spread: Toledo by 5½
■ TV: CBS Sports Network
■ Radio: WSPD 1370 AM
■ Follow: Kyle Rowland
PROJECTED STARTERS
■ Toledo: RayJ Dennis (19.3 ppg), J.T. Shumate (16.5 ppg), Setric Millner, Jr. (16.0 ppg), Dante Maddox , Jr. (11.4 ppg), Ra’Heim Moss (8.2 ppg).
■ Ohio: Dwight Wilson III (15.7 ppg), Jaylin Hunter (12.7 ppg), Miles Brown (10.2 ppg), Elmore James (6.9 ppg), Ben Roderick (5.3 ppg).
SCOUTING REPORT
Toledo’s had Ohio’s number in the regular season in recent years, winning its last nine games against the Bobcats. But Ohio has won both meetings in the MAC tournament during that span. UT’s average margin of victory in the regular season meetings is 15.7 points.
In the teams’ only meeting this season, Toledo thrashed Ohio, 90-75, at Savage Arena in January. The Bobcats never led and trailed by as many as 26.
RayJ Dennis scored 25 points and JT Shumate had 21. The Rockets shot better than 55 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3.
Ohio’s record after the game was 9-9 overall and 1-3 in the MAC. It enters Friday having won eight of 10. One of the losses was a 17-point setback to Miami.
PREDICTION
The past is of little relevance, especially after watching UT’s performance on Thursday. Yes, Ohio was even more impressive in dismantling Ball State, but the Cardinals have injury issues. The depth of Toledo is such a weapon, and it’s almost an impossiblity for opponents to neutralize all that UT possesses on offense. There’s no doubt that Ohio is a confident team, perhaps even as confident and free-wheeling as the Rockets. The only problem is the Bobcats aren’t as good. Toledo, 83-72.
WARM-UP READING
Toledo men's basketball brings 'A' game, cruises past Miami in MAC quarterfinals
All-MAC men's basketball: Dennis unanimous player of the year, Kowalczyk coach of the year
Competitive practices helped fuel what Toledo men's basketball hopes is season to remember
Ready to rock: Scouting reports for area college basketball teams in 2023 MAC tournament
First Published March 10, 2023, 5:00 p.m.
