Jan. 28, 2009
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery 
OXFORD, Ohio -- After falling behind 5-0, Miami scored 12 straight points and never looked back in an 80-52 Mid-American Conference victory over Northern Illinois Wednesday night at Millett Hall.
Antonio Ballard led the RedHawks (11-7, 4-2) with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Michael Bramos added 13 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and four steals. Nick Winbush tied a career high with 11 points, while Tyler Dierkers tallied nine points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked a pair of shots. Only one Huskie reached double figures as Darion Anderson scored 13 points.
After the pair of runs to start the game, Northern Illinois closed to within three, 14-11 before Miami added a 22-5 spurt over the seven-and-a-half minutes for a 36-16 lead with 2:24 remaining. The RedHawks kept 20-point lead at intermission, doubling up the Huskies (6-12, 2-4), 40-20.
Miami shot 53.6 percent in the period, its best shooting first-half of the season. Meanwhile, Northern Illinois was as cold as the storm front that delivered 12 inches of snow earlier in the day. The Huskies shot just 21.9 percent in the period, the lowest total by a RedHawk opponent in any half this year.
The rout continued in the second half as Miami scored the first three points and the lead was never less than 20 again. It reached 34, 78-44, on a pair of free throws by Ballard with 3:32 to play.
Miami cooled off in the second half to finish the contest at 46.4 percent, while the Huskies totalled 30.9 percent for the game, including just three of 15 from three-points range. The RedHawks also forced 17 turnovers, gainined 10 from steals, and blocked eight shots.
The RedHawks hit the road for its next game, Saturday afternoon at Eastern Michigan.
