MAC tournament capsule: Toledo vs. Miami

3/7/2018
BLADE STAFF

Men

No. 2 Toledo vs. No. 7 Miami

■ Time: 6:30 p.m.

■ Records: Toledo is 21-10, 13-5 MAC; Miami is 16-16, 8-10 MAC

■ TV: ESPN3

■ Radio: 1370 AM

■ Series: Miami leads 68-58

Toledo head coach Tod Kowalczyk gives instructions to guard Marreon Jackson.
Toledo head coach Tod Kowalczyk gives instructions to guard Marreon Jackson.

■ Notes: Toledo is searching for its first MAC tournament title since 1980. … The winner of this game will either face No. 3 Eastern Michigan or No. 11 Akron in Friday night’s semifinals. … Toledo topped Miami 73-67 in Oxford on Feb. 9. … This is the third time in five years that Toledo has won 20 or more games. … UT is 3-4 against Miami in the MAC tournament. The Rockets haven’t faced Miami in the tournament since 2012. … UT senior Tre’Shaun Fletcher is top 5 in the MAC in scoring, rebounds, and assists, averaging 18.7 points (third), 8.2 rebounds (fourth), and 4.5 assists (third). … Rockets junior Jaelan Sanford is sixth in the MAC in scoring at 16.3 points per game. … UT junior Nate Navigato leads the conference with 2.9 3-pointers per game and is second in 3-point field goal percentage at 43.8 percent. … Toledo has won its last nine meetings with Miami. ... Miami’s Nike Sibande, the MAC freshman of the year, leads the team in scoring at 14.6 points per game. … The Redhawks have eight players averaging at least five points per game. ... Miami last won the MAC tournament in 2007.

When Miami has the ball: During the MAC season, the Redhawks were ninth in the conference in offensive efficiency. They average 70.9 points per game. The leading scorer is Sibande at 14.6 points per game. Junior point guard Darrian Ringo adds 9.2 points per game and is seventh the nation with 7.1 assists per game. When Toledo and Miami met earlier this season, the Rockets concentrated on limiting the drive and dish ability of Ringo and held him to just two assists. Logan McLane adds 9.0 points per game.

When Toledo has the ball: Miami’s defense is its calling card. Ringo leads the MAC in steals at 2.8 per game and Miami allows just 68.8 points per game, which is second in the MAC. During MAC play, the Redhawks were third in defensive efficiency and led the league in steal percentage.