Toledo at James Madison
HARRISONBURG, Va. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum in the final stretch of the regular season will meet Saturday when the Toledo Rockets visit the James Madison Dukes in a nonconference men’s basketball matchup.
The Rockets (12-11) enter the contest looking to rebound from a narrow 75-72 home loss to Kent State on Tuesday. Toledo has been inconsistent, alternating wins and losses over its past six games. Guard Leroy Blyden has been a bright spot, averaging 18.1 points and 4.1 assists over his last seven contests. He scored 20 points in a loss at Akron on Jan. 27 and had 24 points and five assists in a win over Ohio on Jan. 13. Austin Parks, who had a team-high 17 points against Kent State, provides additional scoring punch.
James Madison (11-13) has also struggled for consistency, dropping its last two games, including a 64-61 home loss to Louisiana-Lafayette on Wednesday. The Dukes have relied on a committee approach, with guard Oriekose Egbule posting 10 points, four assists and two blocks in that defeat. Cliff Davis and Christian Brown have also been key contributors during Sun Belt Conference play.
The game at JMU Convocation Center pits Toledo’s offense, which has topped 80 points eight times this season, against a James Madison squad that has allowed 80 or more points in seven of its losses. The Rockets will aim to exploit that defense, while the Dukes will look to leverage home court advantage, where they are 8-5 this season.
This marks the final scheduled nonconference game for both programs before they dive back into league play next week. Toledo will travel to Western Michigan on Wednesday, while James Madison hosts Georgia State on Thursday.
Saturday’s tipoff is set for 4 p.m. EST.