Toledo Rockets Defeat Northern Illinois Huskies 79-69
Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 7:00 PM ET · Savage Arena
Toledo Rockets 79, Northern Illinois Huskies 69, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won Northern Illinois Huskies vs Toledo Rockets?
Toledo Rockets beat Northern Illinois Huskies 79-69 at Savage Arena on February 24, 2026.
Who was favored in Northern Illinois Huskies vs Toledo Rockets?
Toledo Rockets were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -1000 (about 91% implied). The favorite won.
In a decisive matchup at Savage Arena, the Toledo Rockets secured a 79-69 victory over the Northern Illinois Huskies. This win marks a continuation of Toledo's strong performance against Northern Illinois, as they have now won all three meetings between the two teams in the last two seasons, including a 75-61 victory earlier this year on January 7 and an 89-85 win on February 1, 2025.
Toledo's recent form has shown a mix of results, with their record standing at 4-6 over the last ten games. They are coming off a win against the Eastern Michigan Eagles, where they scored 94 points, indicating their offensive capabilities, averaging 79.0 points scored and allowing 77.1 points during this stretch. At home, the Rockets have performed well, with a home record of 3-1 in their last four games, contributing to their overall home record of 15-13.
On the other hand, the Northern Illinois Huskies have struggled this season, holding a 9-18 record. Their recent performance reflects a similar trend, with a record of 4-6 in their last ten games, but they are currently on a one-game losing streak. The Huskies averaged 65.7 points scored and allowed 73.0 points during this period. Their away performance has been particularly challenging, as evidenced by their away record of 2-4 in the last six games.
The game was characterized by a series of scoring plays in the second half, where free throws played a significant role in maintaining Toledo's lead. In the final moments, Gianni Cobb and Kyler Vanderjagt each contributed to the scoring from the free-throw line, pushing the Rockets' lead to 79 points. Makhai Valentine also made a crucial driving layup for the Huskies, but it wasn't enough to close the gap.
In terms of betting, DraftKings had the Rockets as 12.5-point favorites, with a moneyline of -1000 for Toledo and +650 for Northern Illinois. The total points were set at 150.5, with odds of -105 for the over and -115 for the under, reflecting the expectation of a high-scoring game.
The conditions at Savage Arena were conducive to a competitive atmosphere, and the Rockets' home advantage was evident throughout the game. Fans witnessed a blend of offensive strategy and defensive efforts from both teams, but Toledo's ability to capitalize on free throws and maintain control of the game ultimately led to their victory.
As the season progresses, Toledo will look to build on this win and improve their standing, while Northern Illinois will need to regroup and address their recent struggles as they head into the final stretch of the season.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | TOL -12.5 | 150.5 o -105 / u -115 | Northern Illinois Huskies +650 · Toledo Rockets -1000 |
Leaders
- PointsSonny Wilson17Toledo Rockets
- AssistsSonny Wilson7Toledo Rockets
- ReboundsLeroy Blyden Jr.7Toledo Rockets
- PointsHassan Washington17Northern Illinois Huskies
- AssistsGianni Cobb5Northern Illinois Huskies
- ReboundsHassan Washington7Northern Illinois Huskies
Recent form
Toledo Rockets
Last 10: 4-6Streak W179 scored · 77.1 allowed per game3-1 at home
- W94-75vs Eastern Michigan EaglesFeb 21
- L70-80at Bowling Green FalconsFeb 14
- W90-79at Western Michigan BroncosFeb 12
- L71-73at James Madison DukesFeb 7
- L72-75vs Kent State Golden FlashesFeb 4
- W73-55vs Ball State CardinalsJan 31
- L81-91at Akron ZipsJan 28
- W73-72vs Bowling Green FalconsJan 24
- L82-84at Massachusetts MinutemenJan 20
- L84-87at Kent State Golden FlashesJan 16
Northern Illinois Huskies
Last 10: 4-6Streak L165.7 scored · 73 allowed per game2-4 away
- L66-74vs Ohio BobcatsFeb 21
- W72-70at Buffalo BullsFeb 17
- L46-88at Central Michigan ChippewasFeb 14
- L52-68vs Bowling Green FalconsFeb 12
- W75-74at Georgia State PanthersFeb 7
- L61-85at Miami (OH) RedHawksJan 31
- W85-65vs Western Michigan BroncosJan 28
- L53-58at Ball State CardinalsJan 24
- L77-80at Ohio BobcatsJan 21
- W70-68vs Massachusetts MinutemenJan 17
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wright State | 23-12 | - | 15-5 |
| Robert Morris | 22-11 | 2 | 13-7 |
| Green Bay | 18-15 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Detroit Mercy | 17-15 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Oakland | 16-16 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Purdue Fort Wayne | 17-15 | 4 | 11-9 |
| Northern Kentucky | 20-14 | 5 | 10-10 |
| Youngstown State | 15-17 | 7 | 8-12 |
| Milwaukee | 12-20 | 7 | 8-12 |
| Cleveland State | 11-22 | 9 | 6-14 |
| IU Indianapolis | 7-25 | 12 | 3-17 |
| Miami (OH) | 32-2 | - | 18-0 |
| Akron | 29-6 | 1 | 17-1 |
| Kent State | 24-10 | 4 | 14-4 |
| Toledo | 19-15 | 7 | 11-7 |
| Bowling Green | 18-14 | 9 | 9-9 |
| Ohio | 15-17 | 9 | 9-9 |
| Buffalo | 17-15 | 11 | 7-11 |
| Massachusetts | 17-16 | 11 | 7-11 |
| Ball State | 12-19 | 11 | 7-11 |
| Central Michigan | 10-21 | 12 | 6-12 |
| Western Michigan | 10-21 | 14 | 4-14 |
| Eastern Michigan | 10-21 | 14 | 4-14 |
| Northern Illinois | 9-21 | 10 | 4-14 |
Box score
| Stat | Northern Illinois Huskies | Toledo Rockets |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 27-57 | 30-63 |
| Field goal % | 47 | 48 |
| Three-pointers | 5-23 | 7-16 |
| Three-point % | 22 | 44 |
| Free throws | 10-16 | 12-14 |
| Free throw % | 63 | 86 |
| Rebounds | 32 | 35 |
| Offensive rebounds | 9 | 11 |
| Defensive rebounds | 23 | 24 |
| Assists | 13 | 21 |
| Steals | 4 | 5 |
| Blocks | 2 | 5 |
| Turnovers | 11 | 7 |
| Team turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Technical fouls | 1 | 1 |
| Technical fouls, total | 1 | 1 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 11 | 11 |
| Fast-break points | 4 | 20 |
| Points in the paint | 44 | 40 |
| Fouls | 18 | 17 |
| Largest lead | 1 | 16 |
| Lead changes | 2 | 2 |
| Time in front | 2 | 97 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half38-46Mynor Strong makes 5-foot dunk (Leroy Blyden Jr. assists)
- 2nd Half40-46Hassan Washington makes layup (Daemar Kelly assists)
- 2nd Half40-48Sonny Wilson makes layup
- 2nd Half40-49Sonny Wilson makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half40-51Sean Craig makes 8-foot jumper
- 2nd Half42-51Hassan Washington makes 3-foot dunk (Gianni Cobb assists)
- 2nd Half43-51Hassan Washington makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half43-54Sonny Wilson makes 27-foot three point jumper (Jaylan Ouwinga assists)
- 2nd Half45-54Hassan Washington makes 3-foot dunk (Dylan Ducommun assists)
- 2nd Half45-57Kyler Vanderjagt makes 22-foot three point jumper (Austin Parks assists)
- 2nd Half47-57Gianni Cobb makes driving layup
- 2nd Half47-58Sonny Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half47-59Sonny Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half49-59Taj Walters makes layup
- 2nd Half49-60Austin Parks makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half49-61Austin Parks makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half51-61Hassan Washington makes 0-foot tip in dunk
- 2nd Half53-61Gustav Winther makes 5-foot hook shot
- 2nd Half54-61Gustav Winther makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half54-64Sonny Wilson makes 24-foot three point jumper (Leroy Blyden Jr. assists)
- 2nd Half54-66Sean Craig makes layup (Sonny Wilson assists)
- 2nd Half54-69Sean Craig makes 26-foot three point jumper (Sonny Wilson assists)
- 2nd Half55-69Makhai Valentine makes free throw 1 of 3
- 2nd Half56-69Makhai Valentine makes free throw 2 of 3
- 2nd Half57-69Makhai Valentine makes free throw 3 of 3
- 2nd Half57-71Jaylan Ouwinga makes 3-foot dunk (Sonny Wilson assists)
- 2nd Half57-73Sonny Wilson makes driving layup
- 2nd Half60-73Taj Walters makes 29-foot three point jumper (Gianni Cobb assists)
- 2nd Half62-73Hassan Washington makes layup (Gianni Cobb assists)
- 2nd Half62-75Mynor Strong makes 17-foot jumper (Sean Craig assists)
- 2nd Half63-75Gianni Cobb makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half64-75Gianni Cobb makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half65-75Gianni Cobb makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half66-75Gianni Cobb makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half67-75Taj Walters makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half67-76Kyler Vanderjagt makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half67-77Kyler Vanderjagt makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half69-77Makhai Valentine makes driving layup
- 2nd Half69-78Mynor Strong makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half69-79Mynor Strong makes free throw 2 of 2
Win probability
Above the line favours Toledo Rockets, below favours Northern Illinois Huskies.
Venue
- Savage ArenaToledo, OH
- Attendance4531
- OfficialsAlfred Smith, Anthony Burris, Michael Griffith
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