2017-18 MAC Basketball Recap: Rockets Fly Past Hawks in Fast Start

The Toledo Rockets men’s basketball squad hosted the Atlantic 10’s Saint Joseph’s Hawks Saturday night. Led by junior guard Jaelan Sanford’s career high 31 points and eight assists and Nate Navigato’s 22 points, the Rockets knocked off the Hawks by a score of 98-87.

In the season opener, Toledo came out of the gates fast which created multiple easy layups and three pointers in transition. The Hawks, however, went just 2-for-9 from the field before the first media timeout. Toledo scored first early in the game, and they didn’t look back from there. The Rockets did not trail to the Hawks in the match-up.

Second Half

After taking a nine point lead to the locker rooms at the intermission, Toledo jumped quickly in the second half to extend their lead to 16 before the first media timeout of the second half. By the time that timeout came to be, the Hawks had already been charged with four fouls as a team. For a Toledo team that likes to get out and run the floor, the 42 total fouls called forced them to begin to use the clock and make the extra pass. The Hawks brought the game to within three points by the third media timeout, but Toledo went on a three minute 13-2 run that put the nail in the Hawks’ coffin.

Jaelan Stanford finished the game with 31 points and 8 assists. He was a remarkable 11 for 16 from the floor and 4-6 from beyond the arch. Nate Navigato added 22 and was 5 of 10 from beyond the arch.

Shavar Newkirk led the Hawks with 21.

Toledo returns to action when they host Ohio Northern on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, at 7 p.m.