DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — All was well for the University of Toledo, even midway through the first half of the Boardwalk Battle championship game.
But the bottom fell out shortly thereafter, as the Rockets were soundly defeated by UC San Diego 80-45. And the final score wasn’t as bad as it could have been.
UT struggled at both ends of the court, with the Tritons playing the game on their terms.
While the Rockets leave Florida with a bad taste, not all is lost. Toledo went 2-1 and played 80 minutes of basketball that looked Mid-American Conference champion worthy.
“Overall, I know we have a good team. Today was just one of those days, and it was bad for us,” UT point guard Sonny Wilson said. “It was a humbling experience.”
Here’s what Toledo found out about itself in Daytona Beach.
1. The defense is still a problem
Last season, UT ranked 255th in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. Opponents had an effective field goal percentage of 54.5 percent. Only 17 teams in the entire country were worse.
It was one of the worst defenses in Tod Kowalczyk’s career. The efficiency numbers are slightly better, but the field goal percentage defense has crept up to 54.8 percent.
Obviously, Saturday’s meltdown was an anomaly, especially in the second half when UCSD shot 70 percent until it emptied its bench. But it’s indicative of an issue that needs to be corrected, and it hasn’t been. Three opponents have shot above 50 percent and another two have been better than 47 percent.
Toledo has an incredibly efficient, high-level offensive operation, so it will outscore a lot of teams. But on nights when it isn’t playing well offensively, it has to be able to stop teams on the other end of the court.
2. Sonny Wilson is a MAC player of the year candidate
The sophomore point guard had been tremendous until the UCSD game. Even in defeat, he led the Rockets in scoring.
Wilson is averaging 16.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game — all team highs. He’s shooting 56.3 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3. Wilson ranks first in the country with five game MVPs, a metric calculated by KenPom.
Through seven seven games, he has 13 turnovers and nine steals.
Wilson is a scoring point guard, but he makes the team go with superb decision-making. He benefits from a deep roster and solid bench play.
3. The bench is deeper
There are always questions about Toledo’s bench.
Sometimes it’s related to Kowalczyk shortening it. Other times it’s about the lack of production.
Last season, the Rockets averaged 16.1 bench points per game. So far, they’ve got 23.2 points off the bench, a considerable and valuable uptick.
Seth Hubbard has played a big role. Any time you can have the leading returning scorer in the MAC come off the bench, it’s a luxury. He’s averaging more than 10 points and shooting 37 percent from long range. Hubbard also has 15 assists and just three turnovers.
When UT needed someone to step up against Jacksonville State, Andre Lorentsson responded with 12 second-half points, with nine coming from 3s.
Bryce Ford is another player who’s had his moments, scoring 10 points against Stetson, seven points against Wright State, and making two meaningful 3s at Detroit Mercy.
The trust has allowed Kowalczyk to cut his starters’ minutes and keep them fresh. Wilson and Isaiah Adams are averaging the most minutes per game, and they’re barely over 30 minutes.
Three players averaged more than 30 minutes last season, and two others were at 29.8 and 28.4. As Toledo gets into the MAC schedule, starters’ minutes are likely to increase. But as of now, it appears there’s no reason to fear substitutions.
First Published November 24, 2024, 1:59 a.m.
