Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, March 2
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
4:30 p.m. ET
Central Michigan University
vs
Toledo
Senior Day Showdown: Chippewas Battle Toledo for MAC West Lead
3/1/2019 10:19:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CMU and Toledo to clash Saturday at 4:30 in McGuirk Arena;. Chippewas are one game back in MAC West standing
GAME PREVIEW
• Red hot and riding a four-game winning streak, Central Michigan (20-8, 9-6 MAC) will host Toledo (22-6, 10-5 MAC) on Saturday, March 2 at 4:30 p.m. in McGuirk Arena in a Senior Day showdown with first place in the MAC West on the line.
• Shawn Roundtree Jr., Larry Austin Jr. and Austin Ervin will be recognized prior to the game in a special Senior Day ceremony.
• Despite missing Shawn Roundtree Jr., the Chippewas erased a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti, 77-66, on Tuesday while Toledo got by Ball State in Muncie, 80-72, in its last outing.
• Central Michigan currently resides in lone possession of second place in the MAC West standings, just one game behind frontrunner Toledo.
• The Chippewas are in position to serve as the No. 4 seed for the MAC Tournament and receive a first round bye with three regular season conference games remaining.
• Central Michigan owns a 12-2 home record this season, including five wins in MAC play, while Toledo is 7-4 on the road in 2018-19, with three of those losses coming against conference foes.
• The Chippewas own a 39-62 record in the all-time series versus Toledo but has won four of the last five meetings in McGuirk Arena.
• Toledo narrowly downed CMU in the teams' first meeting this season, 76-72, at Savage Arena on Jan. 26
• ONE TO WATCH: Saturday's game will feature a match up between the MAC's two top 3-point shooting teams -- Toledo (.372) and Central Michigan (.367).
CHIPPEWAS TO WATCH
• Senior guard Larry Austin Jr. leads CMU and ranks tied for No. 5 in the MAC in scoring, averaging 16.8 points per game. The three-time MAC West Player of the Week also ranks first in the MAC in assists (5.8) and second in steals (2.1).
• Senior guard Shawn Roundtree Jr. leads the Chippewas in scoring in MAC play, posting 16.4 points per game. Roundtree, who currently ranks in eighth place on the CMU career free throw percentage rankings (81.4%), is shooting 90% (28-of-31) from the free throw line over the last seven games.
• Junior forward David DiLeo leads the Chippewas (4th in the MAC) with 74 3-pointers and is fourth on the team in rebounding (4.9 rpg). He is having a standout season from the field, shooting .431 overall and .423 from 3-point range, both career highs.
• Junior Kevin McKay leads CMU in rebounding (No. 7 in the MAC, 7.8 rpg) and averages 12.0 points per game. He has recorded back-to-back doubles, both on the road, posting 17 points and 19 rebounds at Ball State before recording 23 points and 10 rebounds at Eastern Michigan.
• Junior forward Rob Montgomery has been a force in MAC play, ranking third on the team in scoring, averaging 13.0 points per game, while collecting 6.3 rebounds.
TRENDING
• Central Michigan has posted back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since the mid-1960s (1965-66, 1966-67).
• Over the last four games, opponents are shooting just 18% (12-of-65) versus CMU from 3-point range.
• Kevin McKay, who ranks No. 2 in the MAC in offensive rebounding (3.3 rpg), is one of only three guards in Division I to record 19 or more rebounds in a game this season.
• Shawn Roundtree Jr. needs 36 points to become the 34th player in CMU program history to reach 1,000 career points. He would become just the third Chippewa to reach that milestone in two seasons, joining Trey Ziegler and Ervin "Lightning" Leavy.
• Currently with 60, senior guard Larry Austin Jr. is on pace to break the Central Michigan single-season steals record, held by Dave Grauzer (63, 1978-79). He is currently tied for fourth with Chris Fowler (2013-14) on the top 10 list.
• Prior to the Eastern Michigan game, CMU had out-rebounded its last six opponents. While EMU had an overall 36-32 edge, the Chippewas had a 21-13 advantage on the boards in the decisive second half.
• Central Michigan ranks prominently nationally in four major statistical categories -- No. 2 in free throw attempts (757), No. 6 in free throws made (504), No. 11 in 3-point field goal defense (29.6) and No. 17 in scoring offense (83.0).
• Larry Austin Jr., who leads the MAC in assists (5.8 apg), recently moved onto the CMU single-season top 10 list, currently ranking ninth with 161 assists.
• David DiLeo resides in fourth place on the CMU 3-pointers rankings with 234 for his career. He also ranks fourth on the career attempts list (620).
• DiLeo is having a standout season from the field, where he is shooting .431 overall and .423 from 3-point range, both career highs.
SCOUTING TOLEDO
• Led by nine-year head coach Tod Kowalczyk, Toledo enters Saturday's contest winners of two straight.
• After losses to Buffalo and Eastern Michigan, the Rockets righted the ship with victories over Northern Illinois and Ball State.
• Toledo led wire-to-wire in the win over Ball State on Feb. 26, providing Kowalczyk with his 300th career victory.
• Toledo is led by senior guard Jaelan Sanford, senior forward Nate Navigato, sophomore guard Marreon Jackson and junior center Luke Knapke.
• Sanford is Toledo's leading scorer (15.6 ppg) and ranks third in 3-pointers with 45. He leads the MAC in free throw percentage (.845).
• Navigato is Toledo's top 3-point shooter with 73 and is second in the conference in 3-point percentage (.462).
• Jackson, who scores 11.3 points per game, leads the Rockets in steals (40) and assists (120).
• Knapke averages 11.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He shoots .555 from the field.
• Junior forward Willie Jackson is Toledo's top rebounder (No. 3 in the MAC, 9.3 rpg) and scores 9.0 points per game.
• Senior guard Chris Darrington averages 9.4 points per game, shoots 83.7% from the line and has made 36 3-pointers.
• As a team, Toledo ranks No. 1 in the MAC in 3-point field goal percentage (.372), free throw percentage (.774), defensive rebounds (29.5) and 3-point field goals made (9.6).
UP NEXT FOR THE CHIPPEWAS
• Central Michigan will remain at home next week when West Division rival Northern Illinois (13-15, 6-9 MAC) visits McGuirk Arena on Tuesday, March 5 for a 7 p.m. game.
• The meeting will be a rematch of the January 15 game won by Central Michigan in DeKalb, 78-69.
• The Huskies are positioned in fourth place in the MAC West standings and host Eastern Michigan before traveling to Mount Pleasant.
• NIU snapped a six-game losing streak earlier this week by defeating Western Michigan, 70-65, at home.
• Northern Illinois is led junior guard Eugene German (19.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg), senior wing Levi Bradley (14.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and senior guard Dante Thorpe (13.8 ppg, 31 steals).
• The Chippewas will then finish out the regular season on the road, traveling to Western Michigan (8-20, 2-13 MAC) for a 7 p.m. game on Friday, March 8.
• Red hot and riding a four-game winning streak, Central Michigan (20-8, 9-6 MAC) will host Toledo (22-6, 10-5 MAC) on Saturday, March 2 at 4:30 p.m. in McGuirk Arena in a Senior Day showdown with first place in the MAC West on the line.
• Shawn Roundtree Jr., Larry Austin Jr. and Austin Ervin will be recognized prior to the game in a special Senior Day ceremony.
• Despite missing Shawn Roundtree Jr., the Chippewas erased a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti, 77-66, on Tuesday while Toledo got by Ball State in Muncie, 80-72, in its last outing.
• Central Michigan currently resides in lone possession of second place in the MAC West standings, just one game behind frontrunner Toledo.
• The Chippewas are in position to serve as the No. 4 seed for the MAC Tournament and receive a first round bye with three regular season conference games remaining.
• Central Michigan owns a 12-2 home record this season, including five wins in MAC play, while Toledo is 7-4 on the road in 2018-19, with three of those losses coming against conference foes.
• The Chippewas own a 39-62 record in the all-time series versus Toledo but has won four of the last five meetings in McGuirk Arena.
• Toledo narrowly downed CMU in the teams' first meeting this season, 76-72, at Savage Arena on Jan. 26
• ONE TO WATCH: Saturday's game will feature a match up between the MAC's two top 3-point shooting teams -- Toledo (.372) and Central Michigan (.367).
CHIPPEWAS TO WATCH
• Senior guard Larry Austin Jr. leads CMU and ranks tied for No. 5 in the MAC in scoring, averaging 16.8 points per game. The three-time MAC West Player of the Week also ranks first in the MAC in assists (5.8) and second in steals (2.1).
• Senior guard Shawn Roundtree Jr. leads the Chippewas in scoring in MAC play, posting 16.4 points per game. Roundtree, who currently ranks in eighth place on the CMU career free throw percentage rankings (81.4%), is shooting 90% (28-of-31) from the free throw line over the last seven games.
• Junior forward David DiLeo leads the Chippewas (4th in the MAC) with 74 3-pointers and is fourth on the team in rebounding (4.9 rpg). He is having a standout season from the field, shooting .431 overall and .423 from 3-point range, both career highs.
• Junior Kevin McKay leads CMU in rebounding (No. 7 in the MAC, 7.8 rpg) and averages 12.0 points per game. He has recorded back-to-back doubles, both on the road, posting 17 points and 19 rebounds at Ball State before recording 23 points and 10 rebounds at Eastern Michigan.
• Junior forward Rob Montgomery has been a force in MAC play, ranking third on the team in scoring, averaging 13.0 points per game, while collecting 6.3 rebounds.
TRENDING
• Central Michigan has posted back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since the mid-1960s (1965-66, 1966-67).
• Over the last four games, opponents are shooting just 18% (12-of-65) versus CMU from 3-point range.
• Kevin McKay, who ranks No. 2 in the MAC in offensive rebounding (3.3 rpg), is one of only three guards in Division I to record 19 or more rebounds in a game this season.
• Shawn Roundtree Jr. needs 36 points to become the 34th player in CMU program history to reach 1,000 career points. He would become just the third Chippewa to reach that milestone in two seasons, joining Trey Ziegler and Ervin "Lightning" Leavy.
• Currently with 60, senior guard Larry Austin Jr. is on pace to break the Central Michigan single-season steals record, held by Dave Grauzer (63, 1978-79). He is currently tied for fourth with Chris Fowler (2013-14) on the top 10 list.
• Prior to the Eastern Michigan game, CMU had out-rebounded its last six opponents. While EMU had an overall 36-32 edge, the Chippewas had a 21-13 advantage on the boards in the decisive second half.
• Central Michigan ranks prominently nationally in four major statistical categories -- No. 2 in free throw attempts (757), No. 6 in free throws made (504), No. 11 in 3-point field goal defense (29.6) and No. 17 in scoring offense (83.0).
• Larry Austin Jr., who leads the MAC in assists (5.8 apg), recently moved onto the CMU single-season top 10 list, currently ranking ninth with 161 assists.
• David DiLeo resides in fourth place on the CMU 3-pointers rankings with 234 for his career. He also ranks fourth on the career attempts list (620).
• DiLeo is having a standout season from the field, where he is shooting .431 overall and .423 from 3-point range, both career highs.
SCOUTING TOLEDO
• Led by nine-year head coach Tod Kowalczyk, Toledo enters Saturday's contest winners of two straight.
• After losses to Buffalo and Eastern Michigan, the Rockets righted the ship with victories over Northern Illinois and Ball State.
• Toledo led wire-to-wire in the win over Ball State on Feb. 26, providing Kowalczyk with his 300th career victory.
• Toledo is led by senior guard Jaelan Sanford, senior forward Nate Navigato, sophomore guard Marreon Jackson and junior center Luke Knapke.
• Sanford is Toledo's leading scorer (15.6 ppg) and ranks third in 3-pointers with 45. He leads the MAC in free throw percentage (.845).
• Navigato is Toledo's top 3-point shooter with 73 and is second in the conference in 3-point percentage (.462).
• Jackson, who scores 11.3 points per game, leads the Rockets in steals (40) and assists (120).
• Knapke averages 11.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He shoots .555 from the field.
• Junior forward Willie Jackson is Toledo's top rebounder (No. 3 in the MAC, 9.3 rpg) and scores 9.0 points per game.
• Senior guard Chris Darrington averages 9.4 points per game, shoots 83.7% from the line and has made 36 3-pointers.
• As a team, Toledo ranks No. 1 in the MAC in 3-point field goal percentage (.372), free throw percentage (.774), defensive rebounds (29.5) and 3-point field goals made (9.6).
UP NEXT FOR THE CHIPPEWAS
• Central Michigan will remain at home next week when West Division rival Northern Illinois (13-15, 6-9 MAC) visits McGuirk Arena on Tuesday, March 5 for a 7 p.m. game.
• The meeting will be a rematch of the January 15 game won by Central Michigan in DeKalb, 78-69.
• The Huskies are positioned in fourth place in the MAC West standings and host Eastern Michigan before traveling to Mount Pleasant.
• NIU snapped a six-game losing streak earlier this week by defeating Western Michigan, 70-65, at home.
• Northern Illinois is led junior guard Eugene German (19.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg), senior wing Levi Bradley (14.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and senior guard Dante Thorpe (13.8 ppg, 31 steals).
• The Chippewas will then finish out the regular season on the road, traveling to Western Michigan (8-20, 2-13 MAC) for a 7 p.m. game on Friday, March 8.
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
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