Miami University
Illinois
Illinois Escapes With 51-49 Win Against RedHawks
11/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 25, 2006
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.--Behind a tremendous defensive effort which restricted Illinois to a season low for points and field goal percentage, Miami University's men's basketball team (2-3) came within inches of upending the Illini (6-0) but fell short, 51-49 on Friday evening at the Chicago Invitational Challenge.
Warren Carter knocked down a jumper with 1:20 left to play, which handed Illinois its first lead since the opening minutes of the game, 48-47. Senior forward Nathan Peavy tossed in a jumper with 43 seconds remaining to give the RedHawks a 49-48 edge, but a Chester Frazier layup with 18 seconds left put the Illini up for good. Carter nailed one of two free throws to make the final score 51-49.
Miami stifled Illinois in the first 15 minutes, using a 12-2 surge off a balanced scoring attack to build a 16-point lead by the 5:23 mark, 27-11. Illinois was able to shrink the gap to nine points, but a Tim Pollitz jumper with 1:51 to play in the half put the RedHawks up 33-22. Illinois went on a 4-0 run to close out the first-half scoring and put the Miami lead at seven points at the half, 33-26.
The RedHawks would lead by as many as nine points in the second half on three occasions, the last coming off an Eric Pollitz driving layup at the 10:10 mark, 46-37. Illinois would chip away at the Miami lead over the next six minutes and shrink the RedHawk lead to two points before Eric Pollitz hit one of two free throws to put the RedHawks up three points with 3:22 left, 47-44. Illinois would outscore Miami 7-2 over the final minutes of the game to inch out the 51-49 win.
Illinois, which entered the game averaging 81.2 ppg, 41.2 rpg and shooting .511 from the field, was bothered by a persistent RedHawk defense which gave up just 51 points, out-rebounded the Illini by six boards and held them to 37.8 percent shooting from the field. It also was the smallest margin of victory for Illinois this season, with no team getting within 20 points of the Illini in their previous five wins.
Peavy led all players with a career-high-tying 22-points, his second 20-point scoring effort of the season, and 11 rebounds. It was Peavy's first double-double of the season and the eighth of his career. Tim Pollitz was the other RedHawk to score in double figures, amassing 11 points.
Shaun Pruitt led the Illini with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Miami rounds out its stint in the Chicago Invitational Challenge facing Rutgers at 5 p.m. (CT) on Saturday, Nov. 25.
