Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami University
Ohio (MAC Quarterfinals)
RedHawks Advance to MAC Tourney Semifinals With 70-51 Win Over Ohio
3/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 8, 2007
CLEVELAND--Junior forward Tim Pollitz tied a career-high with 25 points, shooting 11-of-14 from the floor, as Miami University's men's basketball team (16-14) advanced to the Mid-American Conference Tournament Semifinals with a 70-51 win against Ohio University (19-13) in the tournament quarterfinals at Quicken Loans Arena Thursday afternoon. The RedHawks will face the Toledo Rockets in the semifinals at 7 p.m. on Friday. The game is scheduled to be televised on all of the Fox Sports Net Ohio affiliates.
Ohio had knocked Miami out of the last two MAC Tournaments, last year in the quarterfinals and in the 2005 semifinals, but the RedHawks were able to avenge those losses with a decisive win on Thursday. The win moved Miami to 15-9 in MAC Tournament quarterfinal games and marks the Red and White's 17th tournament semifinal appearance.
Tim Pollitz hit a jumper at the 18:53 mark to open the scoring. Ohio's Stephen King hit a 3-pointer at 18:31 to give the Bobcats a 3-2 lead, but a jumper by freshman guard Alex Moosmann with 18:07 remaining in the first half handed Miami a 4-3 advantage and a lead it would never relinquish. Miami used a 10-0 run off a pair of 3-point plays by senior forward Nathan Peavy and four points from Tim Pollitz to post a 13-point advantage with 9:06 to play in the half, 23-10. The RedHawks continued to pile on the points, and sophomore guard/forward Michael Bramos knocked down a pair of free throws with 53 seconds remaining to hand the RedHawks an 18-point lead going into the half, 39-21.
Ohio was able to get as close as 12 points in the second half off a Leon Williams jumper with 13:33 remaining to make the score 41-29, but Miami pushed its lead to a game-high 23 points off a Moosmann 3-pointer at the 4:17 mark, 66-43. A freshman guard Geno Harris jumper with five seconds remaining made the final score 70-51, improving Miami to 8-0 when scoring 70 or more points. The RedHawks remain the only Division I program to hold every opponent under 70 points this season.
Tim Pollitz recorded his third double-double of the season with his career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds, which led all players in both categories. Peavy added 14 points, while Moosmann and Bramos each tallied 12 points. Miami shot 60.4 percent from the field, including 65.2 percent in the first half.
Williams led the Bobcats with 22 points. He was the only Ohio player to score in double figures.
