When the Toledo Rockets come into Alumni Arena on Wednesday night flying higher than the rest of the Mid-American Conference, the men's basketball team will not only hope to slow the Rockets down, but also bounce back from a rough launch of its own.
The Bulls come into the game with a record of 9-9, 1-4 MAC, and while the Rockets also only have nine wins, they are 5-0 in conference. Buffalo has lost their last two games and four of their last five, while the Toledo has won five straight games.
"The team's confidence level is fine," said head coach Reggie Witherspoon. "It hasn't been high enough as in the past. With young guys, they have to go through the experiences to teach them."
Toledo leads the all-time series 9-2. The Rockets were the victors last year by a score of 73-70 at Savage Hall in Toledo, Ohio.
"Toledo is extremely quick. They are really aggressive, and shoot the three really well," Witherspoon said. "They are playing as well as any team in conference and you can see why they are the favorites to win."
The Rockets are led by Keonta Howell who is averaging 16.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Howell also leads the Rockets in free throw shooting percentage, converting 83 percent of his shots.
Another scoring force for Toledo is Justin Ingram, who averages 16.9 points per game, which is good for third in the MAC. Ingram was a preseason pick for the All-MAC team in the Western division.
A third player to watch out for the Rockets is Florentino Valencia. Valencia is averaging 12.9 points per game with 5.5 rebounds a game. He is shooting a team-high 67 percent from the field.
Buffalo is hoping that senior forward Yassin Idbihi will continue his strong play. Idbihi is averaging 15.5 points and 8.9 rebounds, which is second in the MAC. Idbihi is coming off of his sixth double-double of the season against Akron, where he scored 18 points and pulled down 10 rebounds.
Rebounding is going to play a critical role in the outcome of the game. The Bulls lead the MAC in defensive and offensive rebounds, with about 37 on defense and about 14 on offense per game. Toledo only averages 30.6 rebounds a game. For the season, Buffalo has a 667-520 advantage in the rebounding category.
"They are undersized a little bit," Witherspoon said. "We have to get to the glass and dominate. "We need to get the ball inside to challenge them."
The Bulls are hoping sophomore Vadim Fedotov will continue to excel in the starting rotation. Fedotov is averaging 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds so far this season. He is also shooting a team-high 53 percent from the field.
Buffalo is looking to regain their touch from the three-point range. In home games this season, the team is only averaging 4.7 three pointers a game. Sophomore guard Eric Moore has been the No. 1 threat for Buffalo, shooting 40 percent from three-point land, going 55-135 shooting. He has made a three in every single game this season.
Buffalo is averaging 64.3 points per game, but has been held under 60 points in three of the past four games. Toledo averages 68.8 points per game.
If the game is close down the stretch, Buffalo's free throw shooting will be important. Over the past three games, the Bulls are shooting 84.4 percent from the line. Idbihi is shooting 79 percent, which is seventh in the MAC, and senior Parnell Smith is converting 76 percent of his shots, good for eighth in the conference. As a team, Buffalo is shooting 70 percent while the Rockets average 67 percent.
The key to the game may be the turnover battle. Buffalo is the fourth worst team in the nation in turnovers per game, averaging 19.9. Toledo averages 16.6 per game. The Bulls have committed 358 turnovers this season, while the Rockets have given it up only 283 times.
"How decisive we intend to be with the basketball will be crucial," Witherspoon said. "Turnovers have been a challenge with us and they are a pretty good pressure team."
The Bulls will hit the road again after their one game home stint against Toledo, as the team will travel to Eastern Michigan on Sunday for a clash that is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
