Feb. 1, 2006
Box Score
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OXFORD, Ohio--Behind its best shooting effort of the season and tying its most assists and rebounds this season, Miami University's men's basketball team pounded home a 77-60 win against Bowling Green (8-12; 4-6 Mid-American Conference) on Wednesday evening at Millett Hall. The RedHawks improve to 11-8 overall and 8-3 in MAC action.
Miami's 77 points off a 53.7 percent shooting effort from the field were its third-highest output of the season and its most since amassing 80 points at Michigan on Dec. 22. It also was the second straight 70-plus point scoring effort. The RedHawks also recorded a season-high-tying 18 assists and hauled in 36 rebounds for the fourth time this season.
Additionally, the RedHawks got an impressive number of points off their bench, with their reserves scoring 33 points, including 22 of Miami's 38 first-half points.
The first half was full of runs. Miami got off to a 10-4 start over the first four minutes of the game with William Hatcher scoring six of the RedHawks' first 10 points. Bowling Green countered with a 12-2 run from the 14:13 mark to the 10:08 mark to post a 16-12 lead. The RedHawks retaliated with a 12-2 run of their own over a three-minute stretch to take a 27-20 advantage by the 6:01 mark.
Monty St. Clair knocked down a pair of free throws with 2:21 remaining in the first half to push the RedHawk lead to 11 points, 34-23. St. Clair scored all 12 of his points in the first half, his first double-figure scoring effort since Feb. 15, 2005. Miami would lead by 11 again, 36-25, off a Tim Pollitz layup. A pair of Doug Penno free throw tosses with less than a second remaining in the half would send the RedHawks to the locker room with a 38-28 lead.
Including Penno's free throws to round out the first half, Miami went on a 10-0 run into the second half to build an 18-point lead by the 16:56 mark off a Nathan Peavy 3-pointer, 46-28. Martin Samarco retaliated with a trey for the Falcons to end their scoreless spell, but Hatcher came right back for the RedHawks with a trey of his own to again give Miami an 18-point cushion, 49-31.
A free throw by Peavy at the 11:33 mark would extend the RedHawk lead to 20 points, 58-38. Josh Hausfeld drained a trey with 7:30 remaining to further push the RedHawk lead to 24 points, 67-43, and another Peavy free throw at 4:03 would hand Miami its largest lead of the game, 72-47. Bowling Green would outscore Miami 13-5 over the waning minutes to make the final tally 77-60 in favor of the RedHawks.
Tim Pollitz, Hatcher and St. Clair scored 12 points apiece to lead the RedHawks, while Michael Bramos added 11 points in the winning effort. St. Clair also notched a career-high-tying seven boards to lead all players, while Hacher dished out seven assists.
John Floyd led all players with 21 points for the Falcons, while Samarco chipped in 14 points.
Miami hits the road for Buffalo, clashing with the Bulls at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4.
NOTES: All 12 RedHawk players saw action ... Hatcher recorded his ninth straight double-figure scoring effort and recorded his most assists since dishing out a career high of nine at Michigan on Dec. 22 ... Miami rounded out the first half with just one starter on the floor (Tim Pollitz) ... The RedHawk bench outscored the Falcon bench 22-0 in the first half and 33-11 for the game ... Miami's 29 field goals were the most surrendered by a Falcon opponent this season ... Miami had four players score in double figures for the second straight game.
