Trey Zeigler’s 30 points leads CMU past Toledo

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Trey Zeigler’s alley-oop dunk with 1:44 remaining served as Central Michigan’s exclamation point Wednesday night against Toledo.

The student section, packed to capacity, may have been at its loudest when CMU’s freshman guard scored the last of his career-high 30 points in front of 2,745 people at McGuirk Arena. With its 65-52 win against the Rockets, CMU (4-11, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) won its first against a Division I opponent since Nov. 24 against Illinois-Chicago.

“When you see a few go in, you just start to feel it,” said Trey Zeigler, who had five of CMU’s eight 3-pointers. “That’s exactly what happened.”

For his father and CMU coach Ernie Zeigler, it was a pleasing sight to see shots begin to fall. It wasn’t just his son making shots. As a team, the Chippewas hit a season-high 48.1 percent of their field goal attempts.

Central Michigan freshman guard Derek Jackson takes the ball up the court Wednesday against Toledo. CMU shot 48.1 percent from the floor in the 65-52 win. (Jake May/Photo Editor)

“It is really refreshing when you see these kids reap the benefits of putting in some extra work, and not allowing past shooting woes affect them,” he said.

CMU shot just 31.4 percent in Sunday’s loss to Western Michigan. But against Toledo’s (3-13, 0-2 MAC) 2-3 zone, they took advantage of open looks.

Amir Rashid led a ball-moving attack with seven assists and just three turnovers. CMU had 16 assists for the first time since a loss to South Alabama on Nov. 26.

“I thought Amir Rashid was absolutely excellent and really pushing the ball and putting guys in situations to be effective and score,” Ernie Zeigler said. “We hadn’t had 16 assists in probably the past three, four games combined.”

The key series may have come in the final 10 minutes. Leading by six points with 15:42 remaining in the second half, CMU began to turn the tide. It culminated in back-to-back 3-pointers by Trey Zeigler and junior forward Andre Coimbra to cap off a 16-3 run with 6:53 remaining. At that point, it was over.

Senior forward Will McClure jumps up to block a shot Wednesday against Toledo. McClure had two blocks and one steal in CMU's 65-52 win. (Photo by Jake May/Photo Editor)

“A couple things started happening here and there and a couple of guys started getting their confidence,” said senior forward Jalin Thomas, who, after shooting 3-of-18 against WMU on Sunday, shot a much-improved 41.7 percent from the field for 15 points, and added 11 assists for a very quiet double-double. “And, from there, we just ran with it.

Ernie Zeigler said he was pleased with the ball movement and the team’s second consecutive positive defensive game.

In the end, however, his son garnered the most attention.

“He was aggressively looking for his outside shot, and then still being able to get in the lane and make plays for himself,” Ernie Zeigler said, “And still see the floor and make passes and get other shots as well.”