# 1979–80 Toledo Rockets men's basketball team

The 1979–80 Toledo Rockets men's basketball team represented University of Toledo as a member of the Mid-American Conference during the 1979–80 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by head coach Bob Nichols and played their home games at Centennial Hall in Toledo, Ohio. Toledo won the MAC championship, finishing three games ahead of the field, and reached the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season (only time in program history), and finished with a record of 23–6 (14–2 MAC).
As of the 2022–23 season, this marks the most recent appearance in the NCAA tournament for the Toledo men's basketball program.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular season ||||||
| Dec 1, 1979* | at Charlotte | L 60–64 | 0–1 | Charlotte Coliseum Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Dec 3, 1979* | UMass | W 84–74 | 1–1 | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Dec 5, 1979* | Michigan | W 67–64 | 2–1 | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Dec 8, 1979 | Northern Illinois | W 67–58 | 3–1 (1–0) | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Dec 15, 1979* | Cal Poly | W 83–60 | 4–1 | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Dec 18, 1979* | vs. No. 5 Indiana | L 56–80 | 4–2 | Market Square Arena Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Dec 22, 1979* | at Butler | W 76–66 | 5–2 | Hinkle Fieldhouse Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Dec 28, 1979* | Northwestern | W 74–69 | 6–2 | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Dec 29, 1979* | Washington | L 70–71 | 6–3 | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Jan 2, 1980* | Charleston | W 82–75 | 7–3 | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Jan 5, 1980 | Kent State | W 81–65 | 8–3 (2–0) | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Jan 9, 1980 | at Ohio | W 69–62 | 9–3 (3–0) | Convocation Center Athens, Ohio |
| Jan 12, 1980 | at Central Michigan | W 115–88 | 10–3 (4–0) | Rose Arena Mount Pleasant, Michigan |
| Jan 16, 1980 | Ball State | W 72–60 | 11–3 (5–0) | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Jan 19, 1980 | at Bowling Green State | L 71–74 | 11–4 (5–1) | Anderson Arena Bowling Green, Ohio |
| Jan 23, 1980* | Miami (OH) | W 69–64 | 12–4 (6–1) | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Jan 26, 1980 | at Eastern Michigan | W 81–68 | 13–4 (7–1) | Bowen Field House Ypsilanti, Michigan |
| Jan 29, 1980* | Dayton | W 76–75 | 14–4 | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Feb 2, 1980 | Western Michigan | W 87–68 | 15–4 (8–1) | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Feb 4, 1980 | at Northern Illinois | W 73–70 | 16–4 (9–1) | Chick Evans Fieldhouse DeKalb, Illinois |
| Feb 6, 1980 | Ohio | W 75–62 | 17–4 (10–1) | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Feb 9, 1980 | at Kent State | L 73–83 | 17–5 (10–2) | Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center Kent, Ohio |
| Feb 13, 1980 | at Miami (OH) | W 75–72 | 18–5 (11–2) | Millett Hall Oxford, Ohio |
| Feb 16, 1980 | Central Michigan | W 85–65 | 19–5 (12–2) | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| Feb 20, 1980 | at Ball State | W 102–73 | 20–5 (13–2) | Irving Gymnasium Muncie, Indiana |
| Feb 23, 1980 | Bowling Green State | W 71–69 | 21–5 (14–2) | John F. Savage Hall Toledo, Ohio |
| MAC Tournament ||||||
| Feb 27, 1980* | vs. Ball State Semifinals | W 91–83 | 22–5 | Crisler Arena Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| Feb 28, 1980* | vs. Bowling Green State Championship game | W 85–70 | 23–5 | Crisler Arena Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| NCAA Tournament ||||||
| Mar 7, 1980* | vs. Florida State First round | L 91–94 | 23–6 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, Kentucky |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. ME=Mideast. ||||||

## Awards and honors

* Jim Swaney – MAC Player of the Year