Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewas Visit Toledo for National TV Game
2/22/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2018
GAME PREVIEW
• Central Michigan (16-12, 5-10 MAC) will play its final regular season road game on Friday, Feb. 23 when it meets MAC West leader Toledo (19-9, 11-4 MAC) at 6:30 p.m. in a nationally-televised matchup at Savage Arena in the Glass City.
• The Chippewas have won two of the last three meetings with Toledo at Savage Arena.
TRENDING
• Sophomore guard Kevin McKay is among the hottest players in the MAC, recording double-doubles in three of his last four games (19.8 ppg and 11.0 rpg). During that span, he has set single-game career highs in points (33), rebounds (16) and assists (7).
• Senior guard Josh Kozinski needs 12 3-pointers to become the first Central Michigan player in program history to reach the 300 threshold.
• Kozinski ranks No. 2 in the nation in turnover percentage (4.0) and also ranks second among all NCAA players since 2007-08 in that stat category (2.86).
• Four different Chippewas have earned MAC West Player of the Week honors this season -- Shawn Roundtree Jr. (11/27), David DiLeo (12/24), Luke Meyer (1/22) and Cecil Williams (2/5).
• Central Michigan ranked No. 1 in the nation in free throw percentage, shooting .802 from the line.
• Senior forward Luke Meyer has made 21 of his last 22 free throws. He is shooting .903 from the line this season.
• Kevin McKay leads the MAC in steals per game (2.4 spg) and ranks No. 2 in offensive rebounds (3.5 rpg) (MAC games only).
• McKay has recorded at least one steal in 23 of the 26 games in which he has played this season, including in 17 straight.
SCOUTING TOLEDO
• Led by eight-year head coach Tod Kowalczyk, Toledo enters Friday's MAC West showdown in the midst of its first losing streak of the conference season after falling 85-79 to Eastern Michigan on Tuesday night in Ypsilanti.
• The Rockets two-game losing stretch started on February 17 with a 99-71 setback at Ball State.
• Ranked No. 2 in the MAC in field goal percentage (.469) and scoring offense (79.7 ppg), Toledo features four players who average double figures -- senior guard Tre'Shaun Fletcher (18.7 ppg), junior guard Jaelan Sanford (16.4 ppg), junior forward Nate Navigato (12.4 ppg) and sophomore forward/center Luke Knapke (11.0 ppg).
• Fletcher, a transfer from Colorado, has made a big impression in his first season at Toledo, leading the team not only in scoring but also rebounding (8.4 rpg), assists (113) and steals (23).
• A leading candidate for MAC Player of the Year, Fletcher had 22 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in the teams' first meeting this season.
• Sanford, a preseason All-MAC selection, shoots .454 from the field and .853 from the free throw line and is second on the team in assists (86).
• Navigato is one of the conference's top 3-point shooters, making 75 total with a .417 percentage (4th in the MAC).
• Knapke, who mainly comes off the bench for the Rockets, shoots a team-best .576 from the field in addition to .800 from the free throw line and ranks first in blocks (44) and second in rebounding (6.0 rpg).
LAST TIME OUT
• Thomas Wilder scored 11 of his 22 points in overtime as Western Michigan held off Central Michigan, 83-81, in a Mid-American Conference game at the Broncos' University Arena.
• The game was tied 69-all at the end of regulation and the extra session featured seven lead changes, the last on a Wilder and-one with 14 seconds to play. That put the Broncos in front for good, 83-81.
• CMU's Kevin McKay drove hard down the right side of the lane as the clock wound down and his heavily contested shot missed. Josh Kozinski's desperation follow also missed.
• The Chippewas seized a 5-0 lead to start the game. Western went ahead just over five minutes into the game. CMU never led in regulation after that, and tied it 69-69 on two McKay free throws with 5 seconds left.
• Shawn Roundtree Jr. and McKay scored 18 points apiece for the Chippewas, while David DiLeo had 17 and Cecil Williams added 10. McKay also had 11 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double and his third in the last four games.
• Both teams made 41 percent of their field goal attempts and 27 percent of their 3-point tries. Western outrebounded the Chippewas, 44-39.
UP NEXT FOR THE CHIPPEWAS
Central Michigan will return home for the final two games of the regular season, starting on Tuesday, Feb. 27 when it welcomes MAC West contender Ball State (19-9, 10-5 MAC) to McGuirk for a 7 p.m. game.
| ||||||||||||||||||
• Central Michigan (16-12, 5-10 MAC) will play its final regular season road game on Friday, Feb. 23 when it meets MAC West leader Toledo (19-9, 11-4 MAC) at 6:30 p.m. in a nationally-televised matchup at Savage Arena in the Glass City.
• The Chippewas have won two of the last three meetings with Toledo at Savage Arena.
TRENDING
• Sophomore guard Kevin McKay is among the hottest players in the MAC, recording double-doubles in three of his last four games (19.8 ppg and 11.0 rpg). During that span, he has set single-game career highs in points (33), rebounds (16) and assists (7).
• Senior guard Josh Kozinski needs 12 3-pointers to become the first Central Michigan player in program history to reach the 300 threshold.
• Kozinski ranks No. 2 in the nation in turnover percentage (4.0) and also ranks second among all NCAA players since 2007-08 in that stat category (2.86).
• Four different Chippewas have earned MAC West Player of the Week honors this season -- Shawn Roundtree Jr. (11/27), David DiLeo (12/24), Luke Meyer (1/22) and Cecil Williams (2/5).
• Central Michigan ranked No. 1 in the nation in free throw percentage, shooting .802 from the line.
• Senior forward Luke Meyer has made 21 of his last 22 free throws. He is shooting .903 from the line this season.
• Kevin McKay leads the MAC in steals per game (2.4 spg) and ranks No. 2 in offensive rebounds (3.5 rpg) (MAC games only).
• McKay has recorded at least one steal in 23 of the 26 games in which he has played this season, including in 17 straight.
SCOUTING TOLEDO
• Led by eight-year head coach Tod Kowalczyk, Toledo enters Friday's MAC West showdown in the midst of its first losing streak of the conference season after falling 85-79 to Eastern Michigan on Tuesday night in Ypsilanti.
• The Rockets two-game losing stretch started on February 17 with a 99-71 setback at Ball State.
• Ranked No. 2 in the MAC in field goal percentage (.469) and scoring offense (79.7 ppg), Toledo features four players who average double figures -- senior guard Tre'Shaun Fletcher (18.7 ppg), junior guard Jaelan Sanford (16.4 ppg), junior forward Nate Navigato (12.4 ppg) and sophomore forward/center Luke Knapke (11.0 ppg).
• Fletcher, a transfer from Colorado, has made a big impression in his first season at Toledo, leading the team not only in scoring but also rebounding (8.4 rpg), assists (113) and steals (23).
• A leading candidate for MAC Player of the Year, Fletcher had 22 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in the teams' first meeting this season.
• Sanford, a preseason All-MAC selection, shoots .454 from the field and .853 from the free throw line and is second on the team in assists (86).
• Navigato is one of the conference's top 3-point shooters, making 75 total with a .417 percentage (4th in the MAC).
• Knapke, who mainly comes off the bench for the Rockets, shoots a team-best .576 from the field in addition to .800 from the free throw line and ranks first in blocks (44) and second in rebounding (6.0 rpg).
LAST TIME OUT
• Thomas Wilder scored 11 of his 22 points in overtime as Western Michigan held off Central Michigan, 83-81, in a Mid-American Conference game at the Broncos' University Arena.
• The game was tied 69-all at the end of regulation and the extra session featured seven lead changes, the last on a Wilder and-one with 14 seconds to play. That put the Broncos in front for good, 83-81.
• CMU's Kevin McKay drove hard down the right side of the lane as the clock wound down and his heavily contested shot missed. Josh Kozinski's desperation follow also missed.
• The Chippewas seized a 5-0 lead to start the game. Western went ahead just over five minutes into the game. CMU never led in regulation after that, and tied it 69-69 on two McKay free throws with 5 seconds left.
• Shawn Roundtree Jr. and McKay scored 18 points apiece for the Chippewas, while David DiLeo had 17 and Cecil Williams added 10. McKay also had 11 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double and his third in the last four games.
• Both teams made 41 percent of their field goal attempts and 27 percent of their 3-point tries. Western outrebounded the Chippewas, 44-39.
UP NEXT FOR THE CHIPPEWAS
Central Michigan will return home for the final two games of the regular season, starting on Tuesday, Feb. 27 when it welcomes MAC West contender Ball State (19-9, 10-5 MAC) to McGuirk for a 7 p.m. game.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballTamario Adley Video Feature
Thursday, March 05
MBB vs. Western Michigan Highlights
Monday, February 23
Men's Basketball Western Hype
Friday, February 20
Nathan Claerbaut Video Feature
Wednesday, February 18