2013–14 Toledo Rockets men's basketball team

2013–14 Toledo Rockets men's basketball
MAC West Division co-champions
NIT First round vs. Southern Miss, L 59–66
Conference Mid-American Conference
West Division
2013–14 record 27–7 (14–4 MAC)
Head coach Tod Kowalczyk (4th year)
Assistant coach Jason Kaslow
Assistant coach Jason Kemp
Assistant coach Jordan Mincy
Home arena Savage Arena
2013–14 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   PCT     W   L   PCT
East
Buffalo 13 – 5   .722     19 – 10   .655
Akron 12 – 6   .667     21 – 13   .618
Ohio 11 – 7   .611     25 – 12   .676
Miami 8 – 10   .444     13 – 18   .419
Kent State 7 – 11   .389     16 – 16   .500
Bowling Green 6 – 12   .333     12 – 20   .375
West
Toledo 14 – 4   .778     27 – 7   .794
Western Michigan † 14 – 4   .778     23 – 10   .697
Eastern Michigan 10 – 8   .556     22 – 15   .595
Northern Illinois 8 – 10   .444     15 – 17   .469
Central Michigan 3 – 15   .167     10 – 21   .323
Ball State 2 – 16   .111     5 – 25   .167
† 2014 MAC Tournament winner

The 2013–14 Toledo Rockets men's basketball team represented the University of Toledo during the 2013–14 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Rockets, led by fourth year head coach Tod Kowalczyk, played their home games at the Savage Arena as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference. After sitting out the postseason in 2012–13 due to low APR scores, the Rockets became eligible for the MAC and NCAA Tournaments in 2013–14. They finished the season 27–7, 14–4 in MAC play to finish in a share for the West Division championship and the #1 overall seed in the MAC Tournament. They advanced to the MAC championship game where they lost to Western Michigan. As the MAC #1 seed who failed to win the conference tournament, the received an automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament where they lost in the first round to Southern Miss.

Season

Preseason

The Rockets announced their complete season schedule on September 3, 2013.[1] The Rockets' non-conference schedule was highlighted by a trip to Detroit for a 2K Sports Classic subregional. Trips to Boston College, Robert Morris, and Kansas also were scheduled. For the conference slate, the Rockets scheduled home-and-home series with Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Ohio, and Bowling Green, while hosting Buffalo and Kent State and visiting Akron and Miami.

Roster

2013–14 Toledo Rockets men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year High School/Junior College Home town
G 1 Williams, JonathanJonathan Williams style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 180 lb (82 kg) Fr Southfield-Lathrup HS Southfield, MI
G/F 4 Drummond, JustinJustin Drummond style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 187 lb (85 kg) Jr Riverdale Baptist School
Loyola (MD)		 Bowie, MD
G 5 Pearson, RianRian Pearson style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 190 lb (86 kg) Sr Raytown South HS
Green Bay		 Raytown, MO
G 11 Lemons, JoshJosh Lemons style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 175 lb (79 kg) So La Salle HS Cincinnati, OH
F 15 Williams, AubreyAubrey Williams style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 215 lb (98 kg) RS Fr IMG Academy Bowie, MD
G 20 Brown, JuliusJulius Brown style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 175 lb (79 kg) Jr Hillcrest HS Markham, IL
G 22 Aparicio, AngelAngel Aparicio style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 190 lb (86 kg) So Leo XIII HS Benicarlo, Spain
F 24 Weatherspoon, J. D.J. D. Weatherspoon style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 215 lb (98 kg) Jr North HS
Ohio State		 Columbus, OH
G 25 Lauf, JordanJordan Lauf style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 190 lb (86 kg) Fr Napoleon HS Napoleon, OH
G 30 Beatty, DonaldDonald Beatty style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 195 lb (88 kg) Sr Belmont HS Dayton, OH
C 33 Garber, ZachZach Garber style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 225 lb (102 kg) Fr Vanlue HS Carey, OH
F 43 Smith, MattMatt Smith style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 225 lb (102 kg) Sr Whitewright HS
Green Bay		 Whitewright, TX
C 53 Boothe, NathanNathan Boothe style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 250 lb (113 kg) So Warren Township HS Gurnee, IL
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Schedule and results

Source:

Date Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (Attendance)
Exhibition
11/3/2013* Hillsdale W 85–84 OT Savage Arena (N/A)
Non-conference games
11/9/2013* Northwestern Ohio W 102–55  1–0 Savage Arena (3,971)
11/14/2013* at Boston College W 95–92  2–0 Conte Forum (3,538)
11/18/2013* Florida A&M W 79–69  3–0 Savage Arena (3,916)
11/22/2013* vs. Stony Brook
(2K Sports Classic)		 W 103–99  4–0 Calihan Hall (2,221)
11/23/2013* at Detroit
(2K Sports Classic)		 W 80–78  5–0 Calihan Hall (2,230)
11/24/2013* vs. Florida Atlantic
(2K Sports Classic)		 W 94–74  6–0 Calihan Hall (1,669)
12/4/2013* Detroit W 91–75  7–0 Savage Arena (4,357)
12/7/2013* at Robert Morris W 80–77  8–0 Charles L. Sewall Center (804)
12/14/2013* Sam Houston State W 77–61  9–0 Savage Arena (3,602)
12/17/2013* at Arkansas State W 78–65  10–0 Convocation Center (2,077)
12/21/2013* Cleveland State W 71–67  11–0 Savage Arena (4,207)
12/28/2013* Coppin State W 85–66  12–0 Savage Arena (4,632)
12/30/2013* at #16 Kansas L 83–93  12–1 Allen Fieldhouse (16,300)
Conference games
1/8/2014 at Western Michigan L 76–87  12–2 (0–1) University Arena (2,482)
1/11/2014 Central Michigan W 86–71  13–2 (1–1) Savage Arena (6,189)
1/15/2014 Buffalo W 67–65  14–2 (2–1) Savage Arena (4,595)
1/18/2014 at Akron W 75–61  15–2 (3–1) James A. Rhodes Arena (4,596)
1/22/2014 Northern Illinois W 77–68  16–2 (4–1) Savage Arena (4,335)
1/26/2014 Kent State W 81–78  17–2 (5–1) Savage Arena (5,611)
1/29/2014 at Miami (OH) W 83–70  18–2 (6–1) Millett Hall (1,448)
2/1/2014 at Ohio L 90–95 OT 18–3 (6–2) Convocation Center (9,173)
2/5/2014 Bowling Green W 83–76  19–3 (7–2) Savage Arena (6,031)
2/8/2014 at Ball State W 80–73  20–3 (8–2) John E. Worthen Arena (2,722)
2/12/2014 Ohio W 82–76  21–3 (9–2) Savage Arena (5,849)
2/15/2014 at Eastern Michigan L 44–65  21–4 (9–3) Convocation Center (1,356)
2/20/2014 at Bowling Green W 60–58  22–4 (10–3) Stroh Center (3,182)
2/23/2014 Ball State W 85–74  23–4 (11–3) Savage Arena (4,912)
2/26/2014 at Northern Illinois L 66–74  23–5 (11–4) Convocation Center (1,254)
3/1/2014 Western Michigan W 96–85 OT 24–5 (12–4) Savage Arena (6,912)
3/4/2014 at Central Michigan W 73 - 69  25–5 (13–4) McGuirk Arena (1,713)
3/8/2014 Eastern Michigan W 77-66  26–5 (14–4) Savage Arena (5,911)
MAC Tournament
3/14/2014 vs. Eastern Michigan
(Semifinals)		 W 59–44  27–5 Quicken Loans Arena (6,318)
3/15/2014 vs. Western Michigan
(Championship)		 L 77–98  27–6 Quicken Loans Arena (5,278)
NIT
3/19/2014* #(6) at (3) Southern Miss
(First round)		 L 59–66  27–7 Reed Green Coliseum (4,054)
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll, (#) during NIT is seed within region. ( ) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern.

References

  1. ↑ "Rockets Unveil 2013-14 Men's Basketball Slate; Features 10 Games vs. 2013 Postseason Squads". UTRockets.com. Retrieved November 8, 2013.