The University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University met on Jan. 3, 1968, in MAC tournament play. Blade photographer Don Strayer was courtside for the action and snapped this photo of UT’s Steve Mix trying to go up and over Falcons player Albert Dixon at the UT Fieldhouse. UT won in overtime, 73-69, before a crowd of 4,118. Mix is arguably the best player to put on a Rockets jersey. A Rogers High School graduate, Mix decided to play college basketball for his hometown team. In three seasons — freshmen could not play on the varsity team then — he played in 73 games, scored 1,676 points, and had 872 rebounds. He earned All-MAC honors three times and was the league’s first Player of the Year. He was the third Toledo player to earn All-American honors. Mix was drafted by the Detroit Pistons and played 13 seasons in the NBA with Detroit, Los Angeles, Denver, and Milwaukee. He was with the Philadelphia 76ers for the longest time, from 1973-1982. Mix and his wife, Maryalice, called Toledo home until about a year ago, when they moved to Florida Albert Dixon, Jr., also a Toledo native, played at Scott High School before enrolling at Bowling Green State University. While at BGSU, he tied former player Nate Thurmond’s record of 31 rebounds in a single game. He was a third-round draft choice for the Kentucky Colonels in the old American Basketball Association and was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA. But he chose to play with the Harlem Globetrotters rather than join a professional league. Dixon played for the Globetrotters for about a year, and then taught in the Toledo public schools in the early 1970s. He also taught school in the Detroit area. He died in 2001.
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The second and final day of Fantasticon Toledo on March 12, 2017. Black Swamp Ghosts Busters Ernest Sampson, left, of Rossford and Nate Dyko, of Toledo. In addition to the usual activities of Ghost Busters, the Black Swamp Ghost Busters raise founds for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
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Allison White, 10, notes wheteher she liked or disliked a food item she tasted during a taste test on a few food items for next year in the Elmhurst Elementary School library on March 6, 2017.
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Northwestern University Football coach Pat Fitzgerald left, speaks with patient Marcus Martinez, 9, right of Defiance, at the St. Vincent Mercy Children's Hospital on March 6, 2017.
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A student is handed a name badge as she enters a Holocaust Museum at St. Joseph School in Sylvania, Tuesday, March 7, 2017. The eighth grade class presented a Holocast Museum to fellow middle school students and classmates as part of their 3rd quarter studies of American History and involvement of the United States in World War II. Upon exiting the museum students could check a victims list to see if the name on their badge did or did not survive the Holocaust.
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Teacher Amy Dombrowsky is hit with a whipped cream pie by third grader Keeazia Ballard at Garfield Elementary School, Friday, March 10, 2017. Students paid $1.00 a piece for the chance to win the right to toss a pie for charity. The event, put on by Young Men of Excellence, raised more than $400 that will be used to purchase noise cancelling headphones for autistic students at the school.
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Brenda Vasquez, left, 1, Gabriel Cone, center, 2, and Alisson Ornelas, right, 2, look at a collection of dolls given to the Children's Library at the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library by Dorothy Price on March 8, 2017.
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Sisters Hareem Qureshi, 4, left, and Suniya Qureshi, 7, right, of Sylvania, look at a model train during the Greater Toledo Toy & Train Show at Owens Community College on March 12, 2017.
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Jerone Strong III, 5, of Holland, reacts to a train set during the Greater Toledo Toy & Train Show at Owens Community College on March 12, 2017.
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A telephone pole on Lewis Ave. sways in the wind Wednesday, March 8, 2017, on Lewis Ave. in Bedford Township. High winds caused damage throughout the greater Toledo area Thursday.
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"I can't get my hair back!" Mckayla Mejia, 15, laughed as she checked her phone after school at the Toledo School for the Arts Wednesday, March 8, 2017, in Toledo. High winds swept through the greater Toledo area Thursday.
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Crews work to restore power on Lime City Road and US 20, Thursday, March 9, 2017.
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"Learning is not a test," Kahlil Haynes, 14, center, said during a forum held by State Rep. Teresa Fedor (D., Toledo) for area residents Monday, March 6, 2017, at Start High School. The forum was attended by about 40 members of the community, including members of the Toledo Board of Education and other area officials, to discuss the Ohio Department of Education's upcoming response to a federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act.
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Humorist Garrison Keillor performs at the Stranahan Theater on March 12, 2017.
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Humorist Garrison Keillor performs at the Stranahan Theater on March 12, 2017.
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Dark clouds hover over downtown Toledo on March 7, 2017.
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Fr. Geoff Rose, president of St. Francis de Sales High School, center, performs blesses the school's hockey team during a sendoff ceremony Friday, March 10, 2017 at the school in West Toledo. The team will play Powell Olentangy Liberty in a state semi-final game Saturday in Columbus.
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The St. Francis de Sales High School hockey team is cheered by fellow students during a sendoff ceremony Friday, March 10, 2017 at the school in West Toledo. The team will play Powell Olentangy Liberty in a state semi-final game Saturday in Columbus.
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St. Francis de Sales player Alec Kasza (30) makes an easy basket against St. John's Jesuit during their Division I district semi-final basketball game at the University of Toledo, Thursday, March 9, 2017.
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St. Francis de Sales player Kenny Coleman-Graham (11) fouls St. John's Jesuit player Vincent Williams Jr. (32) during their Division I district semi-final basketball game at the University of Toledo, Thursday, March 9, 2017.
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Bowsher High School player Dalonte' Brown (3) grabs a rebound from Whitmer High School player Derrick Rayford Jr. (1)during their Division I district semi-final basketball game at the University of Toledo, Thursday, March 9, 2017.
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Bowsher High School player Dalonte' Brown (3) blocks the shot of Whitmer High School player Nick Witcher (24) during their Division I district semi-final basketball game at the University of Toledo, Thursday, March 9, 2017.
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Notre Dame's Ashley Barron (21) steals the ball from Olmsted Falls' Rachael Vance (12) during a Division I girls regional basketball semifinal Tuesday, March 7, 2017, in Norwalk, Ohio. Notre Dame defeated Olmsted Falls 62-53 in overtime.
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Regional champions Notre Dame Academy. The Eagles of Notre Dame Academy (NDA) defeat the Lady Titans of Berea-Midpark (BM) in Region 2 in the quarterfinals of the 2017 OHSAA Girls Regional Tournament in Norwalk, Ohio on March 11, 2017.
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NDA fans after a run that left their team onyl two points down at the end of the third period. The Eagles of Notre Dame Academy (NDA) defeat the Lady Titans of Berea-Midpark (BM) in Region 2 in the quarterfinals of the 2017 OHSAA Girls Regional Tournament in Norwalk, Ohio on March 11, 2017.
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SPT d1girlsregional12p NDA's Jala Johnson picksu up the ball tapped from BM's #20, Lexie Scarton, right, by NDA's Hampton-Bey (not pictured) in the third period. Trailing are BM #43, Kayla Gudel and NDA's #33, Krisah Lewis. The Eagles of Notre Dame Academy (NDA) defeat the Lady Titans of Berea-Midpark (BM) in Region 2 in the quarterfinals of the 2017 OHSAA Girls Regional Tournament in Norwalk, Ohio on March 11, 2017. The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Wauseon holds up the first place trophy after defeating Woodward to win the Division II boys district basketball final at BGSU's Stroh Center in Bowling Green, Ohio.
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Wauseon's Owen Newlove is fouled by Woodward's Charles Robinson III during second half of the Division II boys district basketball final at BGSU's Stroh Center in Bowling Green, Ohio.
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Woodward head coach Mark Knabbs talks to Charles Robinson III after their loss to Wauseon in the Division II boys district basketball final at BGSU's Stroh Center in Bowling Green, Ohio.
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Napoleon's Brett Lauf (20) drive sot the basket against Wauseon's Austin Rotroff (34) during a Division II boys district basketball semifinal Wednesday, March 8, 2017, in Bowling Green, Ohio. Wauseon defeated Napoleon 59-57 in double overtime.
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Central Catholic's Dallas Fields (5) knocks the ball way from Woodward's Demorrous Bankston (23) during a Division II boys district basketball semifinal Wednesday, March 8, 2017, in Bowling Green, Ohio.
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Toledo Christian's Joseph Ochoa lands on Holgate's Bailey Hohenberger after a dunk during second half of the the Div. IV boys district basketball semifinal at Napoleon High School in Napoleon, Ohio.
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Holgate's Trey Jones, 23, reacts to his team building a solid lead with minutes left in the game against Toledo Christian during the Div. IV boys district basketball semifinal at Napoleon High School in Napoleon, Ohio.
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Toledo's Mikaela Boyd throws the ball against Akron's Hannah Plybon during first round of the MAC tournament at Savage Arena in Toledo.
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St. Francis de Sales' Warren Natyshak (19) gets a hug from team mate Blake Storer (11) after scoring a goal against Powell Olentangy Liberty during a state semifinal hockey game Saturday, March 11, 2017, at The Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
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St. Francis de Sales' Gabe Barrow (17) battles Cleveland St. Ignatius' Michael McCaffrey (10) for the puck during the hockey state championship game Sunday, March 12, 2017, at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
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St. Francis de Sales reacts to losing to Cleveland St. Ignatius 5-1 during the hockey state championship game Sunday, March 12, 2017, at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
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St. John's Jesuit player Joey Fretti (24) gets hit in the face with the ball as he and Bowsher High School player Jalen Elliott (2) battle for a rebound during their Division I district championship game at the University of Toledo, Saturday, March 11, 2017.
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Bowsher High School player Darryl Robinson (23) commits his fifth foul as he lands on St. John's Jesuit player Houston King (14) during their Division I district championship game at the University of Toledo, Saturday, March 11, 2017.
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St. John's Jesuit player Vincent Williams Jr. (32) cuts part of the net after the Titans defeated Bowsher High School 79-66 during their Division I district championship game at the University of Toledo, Saturday, March 11, 2017.
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Bowsher High School player Dalonte' Brown (3) shoots over St. John's Jesuit player Joey Fretti (24) during their Division I district championship game at the University of Toledo, Saturday, March 11, 2017.
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Toledo's Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott jumps into the arms of Kaayla McIntyre after Bravo-Harriott stole the ball, securing the win, with three seconds left in the quarterfinal of MAC tournament at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
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Oscar Sanchez of Genoa defeats Chase Caprella of Harrod Allen East 13-2 in a Division III 106 pound preliminary match during the State Wrestling Individual Tournament Thursday, March 9, 2017, at The Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.
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James Limongi of Genoa gets a hug from his God mother Barb Lederman after defeating Lance Miller of Covington 1-0 to win the Division III 160 pound championship during the finals of the State Wrestling Individual Tournament Saturday, March 11, 2017, at The Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.
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Drew Mattin of Delta defeats Bruce Hrynciw of Oak Harbor 8-3 to win the Division III 126 pound championship during the finals of the State Wrestling Individual Tournament Saturday, March 11, 2017, at The Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.
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Dylan Thorp of Oak Harbor celebrates defeating Ben Sullivan of New Paris National Trail 7-2 to win the Division III 220 pound championship during the finals of the State Wrestling Individual Tournament Saturday, March 11, 2017, at The Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.
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Parade of Champions during before the championship finals of the State Wrestling Individual Tournament Saturday, March 11, 2017, at The Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.
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Brad Mendoza of Gibsonburg is defeated by Brett Vonderwell of Delphos St. John's during a Division III 170 pound championship semifinals of the State Wrestling Individual Tournament Friday, March 10, 2017, at The Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.
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Toledo's Nate Navigato (35) defends against Ohio's Mike Laster (24) during the first half of the Thursday, March 9, 2017, quarterfinal men's basketball MAC tournament match up at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Ohio won, 67-66.
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Toledo's dance team takes the floor during the first half of the Thursday, March 9, 2017, quarterfinal men's basketball MAC tournament match up against Ohio at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Ohio won, 67-66.
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Ohio's Jaaron Simmons, left, cries out as he and Toledo's Justin Roberts (5) grapple for the ball during the first half of the Thursday, March 9, 2017, quarterfinal men's basketball MAC tournament match up at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Ohio won, 67-66.
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Toledo's Jonathan William (1) breaks away for a layup off a steal over Ohio's Jaaron Simmons (2) during the second half of the Thursday, March 9, 2017, quarterfinal men's basketball MAC tournament match up at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Ohio won, 67-66.
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Toledo's fan section goes wild during the first half of the Friday, March 10, 2017, semifinal women's basketball MAC tournament match up against Buffalo at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Toledo won, 72-65.
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Toledo's Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott, center, goes in against Buffalo's Katherine Ups, left, and Stephanie Reid, right, for a loose ball during the first half of the Friday, March 10, 2017, semifinal women's basketball MAC tournament match up at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Toledo won, 72-65.
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Toledo's Janice Monakana, top left, helps teammate Mikaela Boyd (2) pull down a rebound over Buffalo's Cassie Oursler, left, JoAnna Smith (4) and Stephanie Reid (1) during the second half.
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Toledo's Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott, center right, is embraced by teammate Michaela Rasmussen, right, after their team bested Buffalo to win.
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Toledo goes wild as head coach Tricia Cullop is presented with the championship trophy after the Rockets beat Northern Illinois to win the Saturday, March 11, 2017, women's basketball MAC Championship match up at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Toledo won, 82-71.
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Toledo's basketball team, dance team and cheerleaders bring it in to pose for a photo after the Rockets beat Northern Illinois to win the Saturday, March 11, 2017, women's basketball MAC Championship match up at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Toledo won, 82-71.
BLADE/KATIE RAUSCH