Miami Ohio University Athletics
RedHawks Resume MAC Play at Buffalo on Wednesday
1/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 5, 2004
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GAMEDAY CENTRAL
Coles' Thoughts:
ON THE MATCHUP WITH BUFFALO "We match up fairly well with Buffalo. Their strengths seem to be our strengths. They are a little bit bigger in the post, but we have the same kind of experience with both teams returning a significant number of players. Overall, I believe this is a very even match-up. Buffalo has been playing very well. They are a strong team that can maybe contend for the East Division title."
KEYS TO THE GAME VERSUS BUFFALO: "First, we need to go up there and get off to a good start. We don't want to do what we did at Western Michigan in our conference opener and get behind early and play from behind like that. Second, we need to make some baskets. That always seems to be a big key for us, so we want to slow down on the three's and try to get the ball inside. Third, we need to play good defense. Always on the road, a team should play good defense. If you can do that, you will be in most games."
THE RECENT PLAY OF Chet Mason: "Chet played with a lot of fire against Cincinnati. He did a good job of competing. Lately, he has shot the ball better in practice and has really been on top of his game."
THE SERIES VS. BUFFALO: This marks the 11th meeting between Miami and Buffalo, with the RedHawks owning a 9-1 lead in the series. Last season, Miami inched out a 57-55 win at home before claiming a 63-35 win at Buffalo in the last meeting between the teams. The RedHawks are 4-1 when playing in Buffalo, dropping a 66-61 overtime decision on Feb. 24, 2001. Miami has won its last five meetings with the Bulls, including its last two at Buffalo.
ABOUT THE BULLS: Winning five straight to start the month of December, Buffalo is off to one of its best starts and owns a 5-5 overall record and 1-1 MAC mark heading into Wednesday's game. The Bulls have nine players averaging at least 6.0 ppg, led by Turner Battle's 13.4 ppg. Battle also averages 2.0 steals per game to tie for third among MAC leaders. B.J. Walker averages 12.0 ppg and 7.3 rpg, but has sat out the last seven games due to a back injury. Mario Jordan and Yassin Idbihi, however, have stepped in to average 9.7 ppg and 4.1 rpg and 9.0 ppg and 6.3 rpg, respectively.
GENERAL NEWS, NOTES AND UPDATES
GAME NOTE: Miami's game at Buffalo on Wednesday, Jan. 7 is the second half of a Miami vs. Buffalo women's and men's doubleheader. In their Mid-American Conference opener, Miami's women's basketball team clashes with the Bulls at 6 p.m. with the men's game following at 8 p.m. (or 30 minutes after the women's game).
MASON BACK AMONG NATION'S TOP SMALL REBOUNDERS: Miami junior point guard Chet Mason (Cleveland, Ohio/South) has annually ranked among the nation's top small rebounders according to Stats, Inc. Standing 6-foot-4, growing one inch from last year, Mason ranks eighth nationally for rebounders standing 6-foot-4 and under, averaging 7.0 rpg. IUPUI's Odell Bradley (6-foot-4) tops the list averaging 9.33 rpg. Mason has been Miami's top rebounder in six of its nine contests.
PEAVY PROVIDES SPARK: In just 16 minutes of action against Cincinnati, freshman forward Nathan Peavy (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) provided quite a spark off the bench for the RedHawks. Peavy swiped a game-high-tying nine boards and chipped in eight points, while igniting the crowd with an ally-oop dunk that is quickly becoming his trademark.
"HATCHING" OUT OF HIS SHELL: Sophomore guard William Hatcher (Flint, Mich./Carman-Ainsworth) "hatched" his shell at the Purdue Invitational, establishing career highs in nearly every statistical category. Hatcher was Miami's most efficient shooter during the tournament, hitting 58.3 percent of his field goals and 50.0 percent of his 3-pointers, while averaging 8.0 ppg. He also dished out 2.0 apg and collected 2.5 spg over 19.5 minutes per game.
SEALS GAINING MOMENTUM: After rebounding from an leg injury that sidelined him the entire preseason, senior forward Gene Seals (Saginaw, Mich./Saginaw) is beginning to gain momentum. Seals played his best basketball of the campaign in Miami's stint at the Boilermaker Invitational Dec. 20-21, setting season-high totals in every category in Miami's 63-52 win over IPFW. Seals averaged 7.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg over 16.5 minutes per game during the tournament.
FIRST-HALF FIRE: In the first 20 minutes of action against IPFW, Miami manufactured one of its best halves of the season. The RedHawks shot a blistering 63.0 percent from the field (17-of-27) and 62.5 percent from 3-point range (5-of-8), while knocking down 75.0 of its charity tosses (3-of-4). Miami was perfect in its first six field-goal attempts and did not miss a shot until the 15:01 mark in the first stanza. Miami also posted 13 first-half assists.
SECOND-HALF SURGE: Miami generated a powerful second-half surge in its 76-61 win over Wright State on Dec. 11. The RedHawks poured in 54 second-half points after opening the game with 22 points in the first half. Miami's 54 second-half points are the most points in a half since scoring 66 points in the first half against Akron in a 99-50 win on Feb. 10, 1996. The RedHawks had scored 53 points in a number of halves since 1996, including a 78-63 win over Dayton last season.
UPS AND DOWNS: Miami has experienced some ups and downs in scoring over its first nine games. While the RedHawks have suffered some scoring slumps, they also have put together some impressive runs. During Miami's runs (scoring at least 11 points, while giving up no more than six), it is outscoring its opponents 15.9-4.4 over a 6:41 span. On the other hand, the RedHawks' scoring slumps (giving up at least 12 points, while scoring no more than six) are running an average of 8:39 and they are being outscored 17.6-4.0. Ironically, Miami's streaks and slumps are equally divided between halves with no half consistently seeing a greater scoring surge or drought.
SCHENKE AND MASON SHOW IT IS BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE DURING THE HOLIDAYS: In the true spirit of the Holiday Season, junior guard Chet Mason and junior forward Tim Schenke (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) epitomized the notion that it is better to give than receive. Mason handed out a game-best eight assists against Cincinnati, accounting for 61.5 percent of the RedHawks' assists. Schenke dished out a career-high six assists in Miami's win over IPFW, all coming in the first half, while committing no turnovers. Miami posted 13 first-half assists against the Mastodons.
THEY COME IN TWO'S: In nine games, Miami players have posted four double-doubles and they have both come in back-to-back contests. Junior forward Danny Horace (Cincinnati, Ohio/Western Hills) opened the season with back-to-back double-doubles, while junior guard Chet Mason notched double-doubles in Miami's two games before the Boilermaker Invitational. Against Liberty, Horace pulled down a game-best 10 rebounds and chipped in 16 points, while scoring 11 points and collecting a career-high-tying 14 rebounds against Ohio Dominican. Horace owns six career double-doubles to date. Typically, Horace's double-doubles have come early in the season, posting 17 points and 12 rebounds against Maryland in Miami's second game last season, while notching all three of his double-doubles as a freshman during the first half of the campaign. Mason notched 14 points and 12 rebounds vs. Xavier and posted a game-high 19 points and 10 rebound vs. Wright State. Mason owns four career double-doubles.
MASON TURNING THE TABLES ON TURNOVERS: Over the last two years of his Miami career, junior guard Chet Mason's assist/turnover ratio has been anything but spectacular, averaging nearly 1.4 turnovers to every assist. This season, Mason has turned the tables, so to speak, boasting one of Miami's best assist/turnover ratio's-1.30-which ranks 10th among conference leaders. Mason leads the team with 30 assists, nearly twice the sum of any other RedHawk.
MASON DOING A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING: Junior guard Chet Mason is doing a little bit of everything for the RedHawks. Mason leads the team in assists, rebounding, defensive rebounds and steals and is second on the team in scoring and minutes played and ranks among MAC leaders in six statistical categories.
MASON REGAINS FORM: Entering the Xavier contest with a season-high of five rebounds, junior guard Chet Mason regained the rebounding form which has become his trademark. Mason pulled down a game-best 12 rebounds and is averaging 8.8 rebounds over Miami's last five games.
COLES TIES ONE MARK; CLOSES IN ON ANOTHER: With a 63-52 win over IPFW, Miami head coach Charlie Coles tied long-time Miami head coach Darrell Hedric for third in wins at a MAC institution with 216 over stints at Central Michigan and Miami. With two more wins, Coles will tie his former coach, Dick Shrider, for second in coaching wins at Miami. Coles, who is in his eighth season as Miami's head coach, currently owns a 124-98 mark at the helm of the RedHawk program. Shrider posted a 126-96 record from 1957-66 (nine seasons).
JOHNSON SCORES 1,000TH CAREER POINT EN ROUTE TO CAREER HIGH: Needing just five points to become the 28th player in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau, senior guard Juby Johnson did much more than that against Dayton on Dec. 3. At the 10:18 mark of the first half, Johnson tossed in a layup to tie the game, 14-14, and score his 1,001st career point. Miami, however, would eventually trail the Flyers by 17 at the half. Going 10-of-20 from the field, including 3-of-6 from three-point range, and nailing all five of his free throws, Johnson helped pull Miami within three points of the Flyers in the closing minutes of the game behind a career-high 28 points. If Johnson, who currently owns 1,076 points, scores at his 2002-03 average of 14.8 ppg, he is on pace to score at least 1,368 points, which would place him 10th on Miami's career scoring list.
JOHNSON HITS CENTURY MARK: Seeing 28 minutes of action against IPFW on Dec. 21, senior guard Juby Johnson (Warrensville Heights, Ohio/Warrensville Heights) hit the century mark for games played. Johnson has played in every game during his Miami career, which now totals 101.
JOHNSON BREAKS ONTO CAREER START TOP 10 LIST: With a start against Ohio Dominican, senior guard Juby Johnson cracked Miami's career top-10 list for starts. A start against Buffalo will tie Johnson for sixth on the list with 96. If he starts every game this season, he will tie for third on the all-time list.
JOHNSON CRACKS CAREER THREE-POINT LISTS: Going 3-for-6 from 3-point range against Liberty, senior guard Juby Johnson broke onto Miami's career 3-point field goal and 3-point attempt lists. With 128 3-point field goals, he ranks ninth and needs one more to tie for eighth. Johnson's 382 3-point attempts rank fifth. He needs 55 more attempts to tie for fourth on the list.
REDHAWKS AMONG MAC LEADERS: Several Miami players placed themselves among MAC statistical leaders, while the RedHawks as a team rank among the top three in two categories. The following is a list of rankings (as of 1/4):
Danny Horace Free-Throw Percentage (5th-.814) Offensive Rebounds (7th-2.78) Rebounding (11th-6.7) Defensive Rebounds (14th-3.89) Josh Hausfeld 3-Point Field Goals (10th-2.11) Steals (t-15th-1.22) Juby Johnson Scoring (11th-13.6) Free-Throw Percentage (12th-.762) Chet Mason Defensive Rebounds (4th-4.89) Rebounding (t-8th-7.0) Assists (9th-3.33) Assist/Turnover Ratio (10th-1.30) Offensive Rebounds (14th-2.11) Steals (t-15th-1.22) MIAMI Scoring Defense (2nd-62.1) Rebounding Defense (3rd-33.2)
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY (OR TWO) MAKES: On the heels of one of its worst nights for turnovers and scoring (20 turnovers and 36 points vs. Xavier), Miami came back just 48 hours later and looked like a completely different team. The RedHawks scored a season-high 76 points, while committing a season-low five turnovers (all in the first half) against Wright State on Dec. 11.
THE SCHEN-KEY TO THE GAME: One of the keys to Miami's win over Wright State on Dec. 11 was junior Tim Schenke. The 6-foot-6 forward drained a career-high four 3-pointers off six attempts to bolster Miami to the 76-61 win. Schenke collected 17 points, one shy of his career high.
LENDING A HELPING HAND: Of the 10 players who have registered assists thus far this season, six are averaging one assist or more to every turnover. Junior forward Tim Schenke leads the team, averaging 1.78 assists to every turnover. Freshman forward Eric Van Buskirk owns a 1.5 assists/turnover ratio.
TRIPLE THREAT: Some might think it is ironic that sophomore guard Josh Hausfeld (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon) wears #3. Hausfeld is one of Miami's most potent 3-point weapons, typically drilling treys at critical points in games. Against Dayton, Hausfeld went 4-for-7 from 3-point range in the second half, draining a three to pull Miami within three of the Flyers. Hausfeld shot 50 percent from 3-point range against the Flyers.
ROSTER ADDITION: Joining the RedHawk roster in November is 6-foot-2 freshman guard Tyler Ford (Springfield, Ohio/North). Ford is a walk-on and wears #10.
FRESHMAN ORIENTATION: All five of Miami's freshmen-forwards Monty St. Clair (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon), Nathan Peavy and Eric Van Buskirk (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) and guards Tyler Jones (Dry Ridge, Ky./Grant County) and Doug Penno (Kettering, Ohio/Alter)-have played in a least two contest this season with three seeing action on a regular basis. Van Buskirk has started three games for the RedHawks, while St. Clair started against Xavier. Peavy came off the bench in all nine games, and all three have played in all nine contests.
STINGY DEFENSE: One of the hallmarks of Charlie Coles coached Miami basketball teams is a strong emphasis on defense, and it already has gotten off to a good start in 2003-04, holding Liberty to just 55 points and allowing 62.1 ppg through its first nine games. Miami finished the 2002-03 season ranked third nationally in scoring defense according to ESPN.com, giving up just 58.7 ppg on the season. Air Force led the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 57.0 ppg.
DANNY ON THE BLOCK: In just two short seasons, junior forward Danny Horace placed his name among Miami's career block leaders. Horace, who owns 50 career blocks, ranks eighth on the list. He needs 20 more to tie for seventh on the list.
VAN BUSKIRK GETS STARTING NOD IN COLLEGIATE DEBUT: Earning starting duties in Miami's season opener at Liberty on Nov. 21, freshman forward Eric Van Buskirk became the first true freshman since senior guard Juby Johnson to start his first collegiate game. Van Buskirk scored four points, collected two rebounds and two assists in 12 minutes of action against the Flames.
JOHNSON TABBED mac EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Following a 22-point performance at Liberty, senior guard Juby Johnson was named the first MAC East Division Player of the Week for the 2003-04 campaign. This was Johnson's second career player of the week honor.
BRINGIN' HOME THE BACON: When on the recruiting trail, Miami's basketball staff has been bringin' home the bacon ... Roger Bacon, that is. Two players on the Miami roster-sophomore guard Josh Hausfeld and freshman forward/center Monty St. Clair-prepped at Cincinnati's Roger Bacon. In 2002, the duo paced Roger Bacon to a state title, downing the Lebron James-led Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary's team, while Hausfeld garnered state MVP honors.
FAMILY TIES: For the past two seasons, Juby Johnson has clashed with older brother Sonny Johnson, a member of Ohio's men's basketball program. Even though the elder Johnson has graduated, Juby will still experience a sibling rivalry. Younger brother, Demitrius, is a freshman on the Kent State men's basketball team. The Johnson's are not the only brother vs. brother spotlight the RedHawks have, however. Freshman Doug Penno has the opportunity to clash with his brother, Jeff, who was a member of Akron's basketball team last year but has since transferred to Dayton. As for Miami ties, freshman Eric Van Buskirk has a brother (Mark) who is a senior at Miami and a sister (Kate) who is a Miami graduate. Junior Tim Schenke also has a brother (Zak Kampal) who graduated from Miami.
MIAMI IS FIRST TO 500!: With a 73-58 win at Eastern Michigan on Jan. 29, 2003, Miami became the first Mid-American Conference school to attain 500 league wins. In their 57-year history in the MAC, the RedHawks hold a 505-294 record in conference play and boast a league-best .632 winning percentage. The next closest school in the win column is Ohio University, which owns a 452-359 record over 58 years in the MAC. Miami also owns 20 regular-season MAC crowns, more than twice the number of any other league school.
All-Time MAC Only Records No. Team Record Pct. 1. MIAMI 505-294 .632 2. Ball State 275-207 .571 3. Ohio 452-359 .557 4. Toledo 426-341 .555 5. Bowling Green 401-343 .539 6. Marshall 150-144 .510 7. Eastern Michigan 222-271 .450 8. Western Michigan 348-446 .438 9. Northern Illinois 133-172 .436 10. Kent State 322-443 .421 11. Central Michigan 213-310 .407 12. Akron 75-125 .375 13. Buffalo 16-77 .172
UP NEXT: Miami returns home for the first time since its 76-61 win over Wright State on Dec. 11 to host Akron on Saturday, Jan. 10 in a 6 p.m. tilt to be televised on Fox Sports Net Ohio. This is the first of three home games for the RedHawks, who also host Kent State (Jan. 14, 7 p.m.) and Ball State (Jan. 17, 2 p.m.).
A MIAMI WIN WOULD ... * Even Miami's MAC record at 1-1 and its overall record at 5-5. * Be Miami's second road win of the season. * Extend the RedHawks' series record to 10-1 versus the Bulls.A MIAMI LOSS WOULD ... * Be the first time since 1986-87 Miami has started MAC play 0-2. * Be Miami's second loss in the series with Buffalo and the second at Alumni Arena (the other loss was in overtime on Feb. 24, 2001, 66-61).
