Knapke, Rockets keep rolling in BG

BOWLING GREEN - Luke Knapke and his University of Toledo basketball teammates heard boos when they ran onto the Stroh Center floor Saturday in Bowling Green.

That was just fine with the big man from Maria Stein.

"It's so fun," said Knapke after his team defeated Bowling Green 78-71. "I love getting booed. When we came out and got booed, everyone got excited. That just fuels us."

Not every Falcon in the building was rooting against Knapke, though.

Fellow Marion Local graduates Tyler Mescher, Kyle Koenig and Justin Albers worked on the court for Bowling Green athletics. All of them just wanted to see their friend play well, regardless of the outcome.

And Knapke did play well - like he has done all season.

He's now a junior, and the 6-foot-11, 245-pound center is having his best collegiate season. After Saturday, Knapke ranks third for the Rockets in scoring (11.4 points per game), second in rebounding (6.8 rpg) and also has the best shooting percentage among rotation players (56.5 percent). The numbers are slight improvements from a year ago, when Knapke averaged 10.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and shot 55.3 percent from the field.

"I'm more confident in my shooting, I'm more confident putting it on the ground and I'm more confident with my post moves," Knapke said. "I'm just more confident all around."

He looked like it on Saturday.

After being held scoreless in the first half, Knapke opened the second half with a 3-pointer and finished with 11 points to help Toledo defeat Bowling Green.

Saturday was one of the most-hyped Battle of I-75 games of all time, as it featured the Mid-American Conference East and West Division leaders. The Falcons (16-7, 8-2 MAC), who had knocked off 18th-ranked Buffalo at the Stroh Center a week prior, entered having won 12 of 13 games and with a perfect 11-0 mark at home. The Rockets (20-4, 8-3 MAC) had a 10-game winning streak earlier in the season before stumbling to Ball State and Buffalo to start MAC play. Toledo extended its winning streak to five on Saturday and stretched its West Division lead to 2 1/2 games over Central Michigan.

"We started off MAC play 0-2, but we fought back and now we find ourselves in a position to win it down the stretch," Knapke said.

Knapke wasn't greeted with boos when he reemerged onto the court after the game. Most of the arena had been cleared out by that point, but the Marion Local crew was there to greet Knapke at half-court.

Knapke improved to 4-0 against the rival Falcons (including a MAC tournament win) and he has averaged 12.2 points against them. Toledo has won nine of 10 in the series.

The Rockets will push forward as they as they chase something that has eluded them since 1980: a MAC tournament crown - and a definite NCAA bid.

"We're going for a MAC championship, obviously," Knapke said. "We haven't been to the (NCAA) tournament since like 1981. … That's a long time. So that's definitely a goal of ours."

Toledo welcomes No. 23 Buffalo to Savage Arena on Friday and will look to avenge a 110-80 loss from Jan. 8. After that, six more MAC games remain before the postseason begins.