CLEVELAND (AP) - Toledo star guard Tre’Shaun Fletcher will miss the Mid-American Conference championship against Buffalo because of an injured left knee.
Fletcher, the conference’s player of the year, injured his knee earlier in the tournament and the senior was forced to leave Friday’s semifinal in the first minute. The Rockets rallied without him and beat Eastern Michigan.
Toledo is seeking its first NCAA appearance since 1980 on Saturday night and the Rockets will have to earn it minus Fletcher, who is averaging 18.1 rebounds, 8.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
In the semifinal, freshman guard Marreon Jackson hit a game-winning 3-pointer with nine seconds left to send the Rockets into their first final since 2014. Jackson, a Cleveland-area kid, made a school record eight 3s and finished with 26 points in the 64-63 win.
Buffalo is trying to win its third title in four years. The Bulls are the tourney’s top seed for the first time in school history.
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