For much of the first half of the season opener, more minutes had gone by than the University of Toledo had points.
The Rockets also found themselves down by as much as 19 in the second, but their late comeback bid fell just short as South Alabama held on for a 76-74 win in the Mid-American Conference-Sun Belt Conference Challenge.
“Very good second half that gave us a chance to win the game,” Toledo coach Tod Kowalczyk said. “We’ll watch the film, we'll learn from it, and move on.”
Kyler Vanderjagt, a Central Michigan transfer, had 17 points to tie for the Rockets’ lead with freshman Leroy Blyden, Jr.