BOX SCORE

TOLEDO -- With David Kool scoring a game-high 24 points along with Shawntes Gary adding his first career double-double, the Western Michigan men's basketball team takes a victory over Toledo, 69-55, Saturday night at Savage Hall in front of 6,813. The win ended Toledo's 19-game homecourt winning streak against Mid-American Conference opponents and was the Broncos' first win in Toledo since 1998.

After an old fashioned three point play from Toledo's (8-18, 5-8 MAC) Tyrone Kent, the Broncos (18-10, 11-3 MAC) held the Rockets to a 5:02 scoring drought which Western Michigan took full advantage of going on a 15-0 run, 33-20, with 2:58 remaining in the first half.  Within that run, the Broncos added eight points in 19 seconds with a shot from behind the three-point arc by Andre Ricks.  With a quick steal from Ricks, Derek Fracalossi added a layup followed by another shot from behind the arc from Kool.

Gary added a dunk to seal a 13 point lead for the Broncos before entering the locker room while Toledo was only able to add two points to the score from behind the free-throw line, 37-24.  Western Michigan held the Rockets to shooting only 28.1 percent from the field (9-for-32) and sent to the foul line only four seperate times shooting 57.1 percent (4-for-7).

Western Michigan continued their momentum in the second half and with back-to-back layups from Joe Reitz the Broncos took their biggest lead of the game, 42-26 with 17:13 remaining.  Both teams traded baskets until the Rockets shot 2-for-2 from the foul line to bring the Broncos ahead by only 10 points, 51-41, but Toledo would not get closer the remaining of the game ending with a Western Michigan victory, 69-55.

Western Michigan now ties Kent State, also 11-3 in the MAC, for overall lead in the MAC.

Behind Kool, Gary added his first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds followed by Reitz with 12 points and five rebounds.

Toledo was led behind Kent with 14 points and five rebounds along with Jerrah Young with 11 points and eight rebounds and Jonathan Amos with 10 points.

The Broncos continue their road play against archrival Central Michigan on Tuesday, March 4 at 7 p.m.