Nov. 12, 2010
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | 
Photo Gallery
OXFORD, Ohio - Junior forward Julian Mavunga's double-double, including 12 second-half points, spurred Miami to a 60-57 win over Towson Friday night at Millett Hall. Senior forward Nick Winbush (Shaker Heights, Ohio) added seven points and 11 rebounds and sophomore guard Allen Roberts (Middletown, Ohio) scored a career-high 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc to help the RedHawks overcome a late deficit for the season-opening victory.
Mavunga (Indianapolis, Ind.) totaled 14 points, brought in 11 boards and added five assists and a pair blocks. As a team, the RedHawks shot 41.3 percent from the floor while holding the Tigers to 31 percent shooting.
Roberts scored Miami's first four points to take an early 4-2 lead. He was helped by fellow sophomore guard, Orlando Williams (Cincinnati, Ohio), who hit two three's in a row to extend the RedHawks' lead to 10-3 with 15:18 to go in the opening half.
Towson used a 9-2 run over the next 4:59 to close to tie the game at 12-12 with 10:19 to play in the first before Miami sophomore Vince Legarza (San Francisco, Calif.) scored with 9:21 to play to end Miami's four-minute scoring drought.
The teams traded points over the next two minutes until the Tigers used a 6-0 run to build a 22-18 lead with 6:12 to go in the first half.
The RedHawks battled back with a 9-0 run to retake the lead at 27-22. The Red and White then held on for a 29-28 lead at the half.
Miami came out of the locker room cold, but kept up strong defense to keep Towson close. The Tigers were able to use an 11-5 run to take their largest lead of the game at 39-34 with 10:38 to play in the second half.
The RedHawks quickly answered back with three-pointers from Mavunga and freshman guard/forward Josh Sewell (Louisville, Ky.) on two consecutive drives to pull Miami back within one at 41-40 with 9:12 to go.
Towson hit a free throw and a baseline jumper to retake a two-possession lead at 44-40, but Winbush's trey with 8:11 to go put Miami back within one at 44-43.
Roberts' three with 5:10 to go made it 48-49 and on Miami's next possession, he again connected from long range to tie it at 51-51 with 4:18 to go. Mavunga pulled in a rebound on the Tigers' next shot and was fouled in the process. He hit the two free throws to give Miami the 53-51 lead with 3:50 to play. The two shots from the charity stripe gave him his 10th point of the game for his seventh career double-double.
Mavunga continued his inspired second-half play with a driving basket, drawing a foul and converting the free throw with 3:10 to play. That three-point play put the RedHawks up 56-51 and all but sealed the victory for Miami.
Over the last three minutes Mavunga hit one more free throw, Roberts made a layup and junior guard Chris McHenry (Milwaukee, Wis.) made a free throw to hold off the Tigers and secure the 60-57 victory. A final 3-point attempt by Towson at the buzzer came up short.
Next up for the RedHawks is a trip to Durham, N.C. to face No. 1 Duke on Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Miami's next home games are Nov. 20-22 when it hosts IUPUI, Green Bay and San Diego State in the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic Sub-Regional. The Red and White open the tournament with IUPUI on Saturday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m.
