© Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Toledo basketball team fell at home to MAC rival Kent State on Tuesday night. The Golden Flashes celebrated on the Rockets’ court after the game.
That celebration was deserved after erasing a 17-point second half deficit. Toledo coach Tod Kowalczyk took offense.
The Golden Flashes entered the contest as one of the league’s top teams in search of their 17th win of the year. The Rockets hoped to play spoiler in Kent State’s NCAA Tournament pursuit.
Toledo has not been a great team this season, coming in at 12-10 with a 6-4 mark in conference play. They positioned themselves, however, to pull the upset across the first 30 minutes of action.
The home team led by seven at the halftime break. The lead grew to 17 after a 14-5 run midway through the second period. From there, it was all Golden Flashes.
Toledo basketball collapsed.
🎥: Kent State men’s basketball erased a 17-point second half deficit for a 75-72 road win over Toledo on Tuesday. Delrecco Gillespie led the charge with 25 pts and 10 rebs while Morgan Safford (13) and Rayvon Griffith (11) also finished in double figures@KentStMBB | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/xSsypyoH4B
— MACtion (@MACSports) February 4, 2026
The Rockets led 63-46 with under 10 minutes to play. They were outscored 29-9 the rest of the way to lose, 75-72.
Those in attendance noticed some jawing going on between Toledo students and the Kent State bench as the initial lead ballooned. The Golden Flashes responded by serving the trash talk back after securing the victory.
A celebration ensued as Kent State took over the opposing floor. Fans on hand were stunned by the final outcome.
Tod Kowalczyk was unhappy with what he believed to be “classless” behavior shown by Golden Flash players. He opened his press conference with a scathing criticism of his league foe.
Following tonight’s loss, Tod Kowalczyk did not mix words in his opening statement…voicing frustration with how Kent State celebrated after the game. Called the team’s action “classless” pic.twitter.com/HdxuQsxnsr
— H. Tyler Seggerman (@TylerSeggerman) February 4, 2026
“Let me just address what happened after the game,” Kowalczyk remarked. “That needs to be said. I would never coach a team that would act that way after a win. That’s classless.”
Video of the celebration has not surfaced on social media. The handshake line was reportedly tense. Most assumed the students’ section’s actions played a role.
Unclear what the players specifically said during the handshake line, but I did notice some jawing back-and-forth between KSU and Toledo’s student section throughout the game
— H. Tyler Seggerman (@TylerSeggerman) February 4, 2026
Emotions might’ve gotten the best of Kent State players given the adversity endured ahead of the 17-point comeback.
Toledo clearly took issue with the basketball team’s celebration, but Kowalczyk has only his own squad to blame after an epic collapse.