Dec. 8, 2009
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OXFORD, Ohio - An off-shooting night and a 25-0 Temple run mid-way through the first half were too much for the Miami University men's basketball team to overcome Tuesday night at Millett Hall, as the RedHawks fell to the Temple Owls, 64-42. Junior forward Nick Winbush recorded his first-career double-double in the loss, chipping in 10 points and collecting a career- and game-high 10 rebounds while senior guard Kenny Hayes also contributed 10 points.
Miami (2-6) hit just 35.4 percent of its shots in the game (17-of-48), the first time this year the 'Hawks hit at a clip below 40 percent, including 21.1 percent (4-of-19) from 3-point land, also a season low. Temple (7-2) shot 44.6 percent from the floor while draining a season-high 11 triples at a 47.8 percent clip (11-for-23). The Owls handed out 17 assists to Miami's seven and turned it over just five times. The RedHawks turned it over just 10 times, a season low, but the Owls turned the miscues into 15 points. Lavoy Allen led Temple with 15 points, seven caroms and four assists, while Luis Guzman added 12 points on four 3-pointers--all during the Owls' 25-0 run.
Junior guard/forward Antonio Ballard opened the game's scoring with a drive and layup just over a minute in and Hayes gave Miami a 6-5 lead on a trifecta, but the Owls rattled off 25 straight points on 10-of-13 shooting over a 7:33 stretch, including all four 3-pointers from Guzman and a quartet of jumpers from Allen, to take a 30-6 lead with just under eight minutes left in the half. During the Temple run, the RedHawks missed 10 consecutive shots and committed five turnovers. Winbush buried a trey at the 6:42 mark to snap Miami's skid and added the Red and White's next five points as well. A layup by senior center Adam Fletcher closed the gap to 18 at 34-16 but Rahlir Jefferson nailed a deep jumper at the buzzer to send the Owls into the locker room on top, 36-16.
The 16 first-half points marked Miami's lowest output in a half this year as the 'Hawks shot just 30.0 percent (6-of-20) from the field, including 3-of-10 from behind the arc. Temple, meanwhile, hit 15-of-30 shots for 50.0 percent, including 6-of-14 from distance. The Owls also committed just one turnover in the half while the RedHawks gave it away eight times which Temple converted into 12 points. Winbush led Miami with eight points at the break while Guzman had already registered all 12 of his points to lead the Owls.
After a Temple free throw opened the second-half scoring, the 'Hawks went on a 7-0 run in a two and a half minute burst as Fletcher scored three points and Hayes and sophomore forward/center Julian Mavunga each made a bucket to bring Miami within 14 at 37-23 with 15:32 to play. The Owls answered right back, however, with a trifecta from Juan Fernandez, who finished with 10 points, to extinguish any hopes of a comeback. The Temple lead ballooned to as much as 28 with 4:55 remaining and the 'Hawks would get no closer than 20, as they fell 64-42. The 42 points marked another season low for Miami.
The RedHawks have just one day off before returning to the court Thursday, Dec. 10, to face the No. 19 Cincinnati Bearcats at U.S. Bank Arena. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
--MURedHawks.com--
