Central Michigan University Athletics
Rockets Blast Past Chippewas, 77-57
3/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Box Score
TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo wrapped up the outright Mid-American Conference title and the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament with a 77-57 win over visiting Central Michigan University on Sunday afternoon in Savage Hall. It was the regular season finale for both schools.
The Chippewas closed the regular season 12-17 overall, 7-9 in league play. CMU will be the No. 7 seed in the upcoming MAC Tournament and the Chippewas will play No. 10 Buffalo at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 7. Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland is hosting all four rounds of the tournament, Wednesday through Saturday. Tickets in the CMU section are available from the CMU Athletics Ticket Office by calling 1-888-FIRE-UP2.
Marko Spica scored CMU’s first seven points of the game as he jump started the Chippewas out to a 7-2 lead. But, Toledo tied it up with a 5-0 run after that and the Rockets controlled the rest of the way.
Jordan Bitzer hit a three-pointer to cut Toledo’s double-digit lead to 26-19 with 8:37 left before the half. But, CMU wouldn’t register another field goal in the frame, settling for just six free throws as the Rockets mounted a 19-point lead at the break, 44-25.
Despite a 50 percent shooting effort from the floor in the second half, CMU could never cut the margin down to single digits.
Giordan Watson finished with 16 points and five steals while Jordan Bitzer added 10 points and a pair of three-pointers. After the hot start, Spica scored just two points the rest of the game to finish with nine.
Four Toledo players were in double figures with Keonta Howell posting game highs of 19 points and seven rebounds. Ridley Johnson had 13 points, Justin Ingram 12 and Jonathan Amons 11.
The big difference statistically was turnovers as CMU committed 23 miscues to Toledo’s 13. UT also held a 38-29 edge on the boards and hit nine three-pointers to the Chippewas’ two.
NOTES:
• Complete MAC Tournament bracket and schedule information will be posted on cmuchippewas.com tonight. Final seeding will not be determined until the completion of the Akron-Kent State game (7:30 p.m. start).
• Senior Sefton Barrett was held scoreless for the second time this season and both outings were against Toledo.
• With his five steals, Giordan Watson moved up a couple notches to a tie for third on CMU’s career chart with 143. He is now tied with Tim Kisner.
• CMU lost despite holding Toledo to a .426 field goal percentage. The Chippewas are now 10-2 this season when holding the opponent under .450. The losses were the season opener against Youngstown State and the regular season finale against Toledo.
• Giordan Watson finished MAC play as the league’s top scorer in conference games with 19.8 points per game.
