The opener of the Mid-American Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament hasn’t always been kind to the number one seed. Just ask the 1999 Bowling Green Falcons, who were bounced as the tournament’s #1 seed in the first year it was held in Cleveland. But, the Toledo Rockets managed to avoid such diaster on Thursday afternoon, fighting off apesky Ball State Cardinals team by a final score of 91-89 in overtime at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
The Rockets jumped out to a commanding 10-0 lead in the game’s first three minutes. But, the Cardinals rallied to tie the game several times before the Rockets again controlled the last three minutes of the half to take a 41-34 lead into the break.