Jan. 9, 2010
Box Score
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Senior center Adam Fletcher scored a career-high 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, but the Miami University men's basketball team was unable to open Mid-American Conference play with a victory, as the Buffalo Bulls (8-4, 1-0 MAC) knocked off the RedHawks (3-11, 0-1 MAC), 73-55, Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena.
Miami put the first point on the board as Fletcher sunk the first of two free-throw attempts. Buffalo went on an 18-2 run, capturing an 18-3 advantage by the 12:56 mark, a lead it would not relinquish. The Bulls pushed their lead to 17 points three times in the opening half, the last coming a 6:33, 26-9.
Miami began to steadily climb back, chiseling away at the Bulls' lead. The RedHawks used a 10-2 run to pull within nine of the Bulls with 2:10 remaining in the half, 28-19. Senior guard Kenny Hayes scored all four of his points during that stretch, while junior forward Nick Winbush put together a three-point play for the RedHawks and freshman guard Orlando Williams knocked down a 3-pointer. Buffalo extended its lead to 12 points off a John Boyer 3-pointer, but Fletcher nailed a jumper and drained a pair of free throws to put Miami within eight points going into the half, 31-23.
At the start of the second half, Miami continued to scrape away at the Buffalo lead and whittled it down to three points by the 15:52 mark, 36-33. Fletcher tossed in a pair of free throws, junior guard Rodney Haddix II recorded a dunk and sophomore forward/center Julian Mavunga drained a pair of free throws and nailed the jumper to put Miami within three. Buffalo quickly extended its lead to eight and Miami closed within six points twice, the last coming at 12:07 off two Mavunga free throws, 43-37. The Bulls continued to pad their advantage, taking their largest lead of the game at the 4:56 mark, 69-45. Miami was able to get the Bull lead to 18, which would be the final margin.
Fletcher was the lone RedHawk to score in double figures, and his 21 points mark the seventh time a RedHawk has scored 20 or more points in a game this season.
Rodney Pierce led the Bulls with 21 points, while Calvin Betts tallied 11 points and 11 rebounds and Max Boudreau added 11 points.
Miami returns home for the first time in a month, hosting Kent State University at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 12. The game will be televised by the Miami ISP Sports Network on ONN and will be broadcast in the northeast and southwest Ohio markets.
