Dec. 27, 2006
Box Score
CINCINNATI--Senior forward Nathan Peavy recorded his third double-double of the season with a career-high-tying 22 points and a season-best 12 rebounds but it was not enough as Miami University (4-8) suffered a heartbreaking 60-52 loss to Cincinnati (9-3) on Wednesday evening at U.S. Bank Arena.
The RedHawks pulled out to a 15-9 lead by the 10:58 mark off a Peavy jumper. Freshman guard Alex Moosmann knocked down a pair of free throws with 9:31 left in the first half to give the Red and White a 17-12 cushion. Cincinnati went on an 11-0 scoring surge, capped with a layup and a 3-pointer by Marcus Sikes, to pull out to a 23-17 lead with 3:16 left in the half.
The Bearcats extended their lead to eight points off a Jamual Warren jumper with 1:21 to play, 27-19. Miami was able to cut the gap to five points off a Peavy jumper at 1:03 and a free throw with 39 seconds left, but the Bearcats knocked down a jumper with seven seconds left and Marvin Gentry nailed a jumper as time expired to hand Cincinnati a 31-22 lead at the half.
Cincinnati opened the second half scoring four unanswered points to post a 13-point lead with 18:52 to play, 35-22. A Peavy 3-point play cut the Bearcat lead to 10 points, but UC came back to take a 12-point lead off a Warren layup with 17:50 to play, 37-25. The RedHawks caught fire and went on a 12-0 scoring flurry to knot the game with 12:53 to play, 37-37. Peavy scored seven points during the run, while junior forward Tim Pollitz added a jumper and sophomore guard Eric Pollitz nailed a trey.
The teams went back and forth until Cincinnati pulled out to a six-point lead with 6:50 to play, 48-42. Sophomore forward Tyler Dierkers hit a free throw, while Peavy added more points on a three-point play and senior guard Doug Penno knocked down a pair of free throws to even the score, 48-48, with 5:10 remaining. Warren hit two free throws for the Bearcats to give them the two-point advantage, but a sophomore guard/forward Michael Bramos jumper tied the game, 50-50, with 4:27 to play. On the next possession, Bramos took the ball away from Marcus Sikes and broke away for a layup to give Miami a 52-50 lead with 4:02 to play. Cincinnati, however, closed out the game on a 10-0 run to capture the 60-52 win.
Peavy led all players in scoring and rebound with his 10th career double-double and added a game-best three blocked shots.
Sikes tallied 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Bearcats, while Warren was the other player to score in double figures also amassing 15 points.
Miami is off until it opens Mid-American Conference play hosting Kent State at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 7. The game will be televised on ONN.
