In a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the 81-58 blowout score, the Toledo Rockets overwhelmed the visiting Western Michigan Broncos on Wednesday evening at Savage Hall.

With a strong dose of desire, intensity, relentless defensive pressure, and offensive teamwork, UT punished a Bronco team that is good enough to be playing Northern Illinois for the MAC West Tornament title come this Sunday.

There are several statistics that stand out for the game, but two categories in particular tell the tale of this most impressive win, assists and turnovers.

Toledo had 22 assists and 10 turnovers while Western Michigan had just 11 assists and a whopping 28 turnovers: Those turnovers score directly to 27 Rocket points. In fact, the Broncos had eight more assists then they had baskets (20). Those Western turnovers also limited them to just 38 shots at the basket, while Toledo was winning for 63 attempts.

The scoring began when senior player Sammy Villegas, playing his final regular-season game on the home floor, drained a long three-pointer, and ended when Jonathan Amos stole the basketball from WMU’s Andre Ricks and fed fellow freshman Tyrone Kent who performed an impressive single handed dunk. Why this one even had the geriatric set up and cheering at the end.

“I thought Toledo, without question, was the hungrier team tonight. They just played inspired basketball with a lot of energy. Things just kept getting worse for us,” said Western Michigan Coach Steve Hawkins

There were a number of heroes for Toledo, but if one were to look for a player who was the catalyst in the win, it was point guard Kashif Payne. The diminutive sophomore scored just four points, but he dished out a career-tying 11 assists, recorded five steals, and did not commit a turnover in 30 minutes of playing time.

The Rockets also had four basketball players reaching the double-figure mark. Junior Tino Valencia, the MAC’s field goal percentage leader topped the Toledo scoring with 18 points, going eight-for eight from the field. Villegas, playing like Sammy of old, scored 16 points, and was four-of nine from beyond the arc. Justin Ingram had 14 points, and Kent, for the second consecutive game, came off the bench to reach double-digits (10).