For all but a five-minute span to close the first half, Lourdes hung with Toledo on Thursday evening before the Rockets defeated the Gray Wolves 103-88 inside of Savage Arena.
 
"This was a great effort tonight," head coach Dennis Hopson said afterwards.  "I'm super proud of the guys.  We just need to be consistent every time we step onto the floor.  We showed we can compete with anyone.  This game should help us going back into WHAC play."
 
Lourdes never looked intimidated by the NCAA Division I Rockets, taking an early 5-2 lead on a three-pointer by Stephen Coleman Jr. (Toledo, Ohio/Hillcrest Prep H.S.).  After a 9-0 run by Toledo, Lourdes responded with 10 straight points of its own, taking its largest lead of the game, 15-11, following a basket in transition by Little Anderson (Toledo, Ohio/Cardinal Stritch H.S.).
 
After the Rockets retook the lead on a 7-0 spurt, Coleman's jumper put Lourdes in front 22-20 with nine minutes to play in the half.  The Gray Wolves hung close, tying the game at 32 with five minutes to play in the stanza on a triple by Clif Snow (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown H.S.).  Toledo closed the first half on a 16-3 run though over the final 4:24 to take a 48-35 lead into the locker room.
 
"That run was the difference," Hopson added.  "Had we kept it close until halftime you never know how it would have ended."
 
Lourdes was 7-of-13 (53.8%) from three-point range in the opening half, including Snow who was 3-for-3 from long range.
 
A Charles Swain (Cincinnati, Ohio/North College Hill H.S.) triple to open the second half followed by a three from Harris on the next possession pulled Lourdes to within nine, but that would be as close as the Gray Wolves would get in the second half.  The Rockets responded with seven straight points.
 
Another 17-10 Toledo run over four minutes pushed the Rocket lead to 91-70 before the Gray Wolves pulled back to within 13, 93-80, with four minutes to play.  Lourdes was unable to get any closer the rest of the way, dropping the contest which was an exhibition for the Gray Wolves but a regular season game for Toledo.
 
Joey Holifield (Toledo, Ohio/Cardinal Stritch H.S.) led Lourdes with 23 points while Harris added 20 more, including six three-pointers.  Anderson tallied 18 points while Snow finished with nine.
 
Lourdes shot 50% from the floor and 54.2% (13-of-24) from three-point range on the evening while committing just 11 turnovers. 
 
Setric Millner Jr. led six Rockets in double figures with 25 points while RayJ Dennis added 20 more for Toledo (9-4).  The Rockets shot 54.7% from the floor and attempted 30 free throws, making 23 (76.7%) while Lourdes was 11-of-11 from the charity stripe.
 
Lourdes (10-5) returns home on Tuesday afternoon as the Gray Wolves host Windsor to conclude the non-conference portion of the schedule.  Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. inside the Russell J. Ebeid Recreation Center.