Jan. 21, 2007
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio--A three-pointer by senior guard Doug Penno with 17 seconds to play and a free throw by junior forward Tim Pollitz with eight seconds remaining in overtime spurred Miami in a 72-69 win over rival Ohio in Mid-American Conference action. It was the first overtime game in the series since Miami edged Ohio 64-63 on February 18, 2004, in Oxford, Ohio. Sophomore guard/forward Michael Bramos led the RedHawks (7-10;3-2 MAC) with 22 points, his third 20-plus point performance of the season, while Sonny Troutman and Whitney Davis scored 14 points apiece to pace the Bobcats (12-6;3-2 MAC).
Ohio jumped out to an early 9-5 lead at the 15:32 mark of the first half as Miami missed its first four shots. Miami hit its next four shots to go on an 8-0 and take a 13-9 lead with 12:49 to play in the first half. Ohio retaliated with an 8-0 run of its own to reclaim the lead, 18-13, by the 11:41 mark.A Bramos dunk sandwiched in between two Bramos treys spurred a 16-0 run, giving Miami an eleven point cushion, 29-18, with 5:37 to play in the first half. Bramos scored 10 of Miami's 16 points during the run. A Whitney Davis layup cut the Miami lead to 35-32, but two free throws by sophomore guard Eric Pollitz gave Miami a 37-32 lead heading into halftime.
Miami's 37 first-half points were the most first-half points scored by the RedHawks this season. Miami's 37 points came on 60.9 percent shooting in the first half while nine RedHawk players scored in the first half.
Miami stretched its lead to eleven points on two different occasions in the second half with the last coming with 11:22 to play. An 8-0 run over the next 4:44 pulled the Bobcats within thee points, 56-53, with 6:38 remaining. Back-to-back three-pointers by Bubba Walther and Sonny Troutman gave Ohio a 63-61 lead with 2:10 to play, which was Ohio's first lead since it led 18-16 at the 9:57 mark of the first half. A layup by Tim Pollitz with 1:26 to play tied the game at 63-63 and that would be the score at the end of regulation.
A Tim Pollitz layup and a three-pointer by Penno gave Miami a 68-63 lead with 1:47 to play in overtime. Free throws by Tillman and a layup by Leon Williams cut the Miami lead to one point, 68-67 with 52 seconds remaining. With time running out on the shot clock, Penno hit a trey with 17 seconds remaining in regulation giving Miami a 71-67 lead before a Bubba Walther layup made the score 71-69. Tim Pollitz hit the first of two free throws to give Miami a three-point lead, 72-69, and a Sonny Troutman miss from behind-the-arc gave Miami a 72-69 overtime win over Ohio.
Bramos led Miami with 22 points, while Tim Pollitz and Penno added 18 points and 12 points, respectively. Miami also amassed a season-high 20 assists, while committing just eight turnovers.
Five Bobcats scored in double figures led by Troutman and Davis who scored 14 points apiece. Jerome Tillman added 13 points and 10 rebounds while Leon Williams and Bubba Walther also contributed 12 points apiece.
Miami travels to Mount Pleasant, Mich., to play Central Michigan on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. before heading to Toledo, Ohio, to face the MAC West Division leader Toledo on Saturday. Jan. 27, at 7 p.m.
