March 4, 2006
Box Score
Junior Monty St. Clair recorded the first double-double of his career and sophomore forward Tim Pollitz scored 20 points for the third time this season as Miami University's men's basketball team (18-9; 14-4 Mid-American Conference) defeated Buffalo (18-12; 8-10 MAC) in its final regular-season contest of the season, 74-65.
Miami's win gives the RedHawks a 14-4 conference record, which is its most league wins since the 1998-99 team notched a 15-3 mark. The RedHawks also won nine of their last 10 regular-season games, just the second time a Miami team has accomplished the feat in the last 20 years.
Miami was down early in the game as Buffalo's Yassin Idbihi and Calvin Cage hit two three pointers over the first six minutes to give Buffalo an 8-6 lead. By the 10:30 mark in the first half, Miami took a 10-8 lead as Tim Pollitz scored eight of Miami's first 10 points, going 4-for-4 from the field. Buffalo jumped back ahead at 17-14 by the 7:59 mark, butMiami went on a 12-0 run in which four different RedHawks scored to seize a 26-17 lead by the 2:27 mark. Miami went into the half with a 30-22 lead and the RedHawks outscored the Bulls 22-8 in the paint in the first half. Pollitz and St. Clair led the RedHawks with eight points apiece at the break.
Miami extended its lead to 14 points, 42-28, by the 16:00 mark in the second half. Miami, however, saw its 14-point lead vanish over the next 6:26 of the half as Miami hit only one field goal during the drought and Buffalo went on a 15-2 run to close within one at 44-43. During the run, Buffalo's front line combined for 12 of the 15 points, including eight from Parnell Smith. Buffalo was able to stay within one as they trailed 50-49 with 5:58 to go in the second half, but Pollitz and senior William Hatcher combined to score eight out of Miami's next 10 points to take a 60-53 lead with 2:16 left in the game.
The RedHawks hit 11-of-12 free throws in the last 2:03 to secure a 74-65 win. Miami ended the game with four players in double figures as Tim Pollitz poured in 20 points, William Hatcher added 15 points, and Monty St. Clair and Nathan Peavy added 10 points apiece. St. Clair also led all players with a career-high 13 boards.
The Bulls had three players in double figures as Calvin Cage had a game-high 22 points, and Parnell Smith and Yassin Idbihi contributed with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Miami had previously secured a first-round bye and will be a No. 4 seed in the FirstEnergy MAC Tournament. The RedHawks will play at 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 9 in the quarterfinals and faces the winner of the No. 12 Central Michigan vs. No. 5 Ohio game that will be played in Athens, Ohio, on March 6.
