Bulls battle early but fall to Toledo 98–78

The men’s basketball team (17-14, 7-11 MAC) battled through a very competitive first half of their game against the Toledo Rockets (17-14, 11-7 MAC), trailing by just four points at halftime; as the high-scoring game took its course, Toledo proved too much to overcome as the Bulls lost 98-78.  

Throughout the first half, the Bulls stayed close, behind by four points by the break at 37–33. The Bulls maintained that gap for most of the first half by creating scoring opportunities from both inside and outside the paint. The Bulls carried this momentum into halftime.

Regardless of the Bulls’ strong efforts in the first half, Toledo came out of halftime ready to intensify the game with consistent shooting and ball movement. The Bulls shot 54.4% from the field and 41.7% from the three-point range, but as Toledo's offense strengthened, it allowed them to further their lead. 

Although the turnout wasn’t what the Bulls were hoping for, many players still gave standout performances throughout the game. Sophomore guard Ryan Sabol was the leading scorer of the night with 26 points. Sabol managed to hit six three-pointers and shot 10-of-21 from the field. Following shortly behind Sabol was graduate guard Angelo Brizzi, who led the Bulls offense and finished with 21 points. Junior center Tim O’Toole contributed to the Bulls’ offense as well, finishing with 15 points and five rebounds. 

Regardless of the loss, the Bulls still had an outstanding performance, showing their resilience and competitiveness. They demonstrated their ability to set up points and rely on key players to step up offensively. Standout performances from Sabol, Brizzi and O’Toole emphasized the offensive potential of the team and the leadership on the court.

Moving forward, the  team will continue to use their offense to its fullest potential and rely on these players to guide the team when preparing for upcoming games. The Bulls next game will be the Mid-American Conference quarterfinals in Cleveland on March 12th. The game can be streamed on ESPN+.

The sports desk can be reached at sports@ubspectrum.com