Jan. 20, 2009
Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- Miami University's men's basketball team stayed on top of the Mid-American Conference's East Division with a 67-60 road victory at Bowling Green. The RedHawks improved their overall record to 10-6 and their MAC record to 3-1.
The victory gave Coach Charlie Coles his 217th all-time victory at Miami, breaking a tie with Darrell Hedric.
The RedHawks used a balanced scoring attack, getting double-figure efforts from five different players. Michael Bramos led the scoring attack with 14 points, followed by Eric Pollitz (13), Antonio Ballard (11), Tyler Fletcher (10) and Julian Mavunga (10). Bowling Green was paced by Nate Miller's 17 points.
Miami shot 52 percent in the first half and 56 percent in the second half. Miami's assists were also evenly distributed by Bramos (5), Tyler Dierkers (4), Pollitz (4) and Ballard (4).
Miami took a 30-27 halftime lead into the locker room, scoring 14 points off Bowling Green turnovers. The RedHawks were led by Mavunga's eight points, all on layups and all within the last nine minutes of play. Fletcher, Bramos and Pollitz added six points apiece during the first 20 minutes of play. Two of Pollitz's three baskets came in the first two-and-a-half minutes of play. The RedHawks' largest lead of the opening stanza was eight points, 26-18, with 5:17 remaining. Chris Knight led Bowling Green's first-half scoring with five points and he added eight rebounds, just one less that Miami's halftime team total.
Coles's RedHawks began the second half by scoring the first 11 points and 16 of the first 20, increasing Miami's lead to 46-51 at 14:07. Six points by Bramos and four points apiece by Ballard and Pollitz contributed to the spurt. Eleven straight points by the Falcons cut their deficit to 52-50, but Fletcher, Ballard and Mavunga baskets gave the RedHawks a little breathing room. However, BG struck back with a field goal after a steal and a three-pointer to make it 58-57 Miami.
The last 2:25 of the game was a dog fight, with Miami striking first on an old-fashioned three-point play by Tyler Dierkers. The RedHawks led at that point, 61-57. Bowling Green missed a three-point attempt, but Miami traveled on its possession, turning it back over to the Falcons. Bramos corralled another errant shot by BG and converted it into a fast-break slam dunk basket by Ballard, opening up its lead to 63-57. The Falcons were forced to foul, sending Bramos and Dierkers to the free throw line and they converted all four shots from the charity stripe to end the game with a 67-60 victory.
Bowling Green fell to 8-9 overall and 1-3 in MAC play.
Miami plays its next two games at home, hosting Buffalo on Saturday at 4 p.m. and Northern Illinois on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
--www.MURedHawks.com--
