Dec. 11, 2010
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery 
By Drew Davis
OXFORD, Ohio - Sophomore guard Orlando Williams scored nine of his game-high 16 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer from the left wing with just over a minute to play, in the final 4:15 as Miami rallied for an 80-73 win over Troy Saturday night at Millett Hall. The RedHawks, who faced as much as a 12-point deficit, erased Troy leads five different times before claiming the late lead and holding on for the win.
After playing a schedule that has included three teams ranked among the top 15, Miami moves back to .500 at 5-5 for the first time since Nov. 22 while Troy falls to 1-7.
The Trojans spent most of the game in the lead thanks to shooting 13-for-25 from outside the arc, but Miami battled back with five players in double-figures. Junior forward Julian Mavunga tied Williams for the game-high in points with 16 and added nine rebounds. Senior forward Antonio Ballard had his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds and also added a career-high five assists. Freshman guard Quinten Rollins and senior forward Nick Winbush each added 12 points.
Miami took the first lead of the game on two free throws by Mavunga just four seconds into the game, but Troy soon took control with a 20-8 run to take a 12-point lead at 28-16 with 10:30 to play in the first half. The RedHawks battled back to close to within three (33-30) with 4:42 to go in the first, but Troy again built a lead at 38-30 with 3:49 to go.
Once again Miami closed the gap, cutting the lead to 44-40 with a Mavunga trey at the first-half buzzer. The RedHawks then carried over momentum, opening the second half on a 6-2 run to tie the game at 46-46, the first tie since it was 8-8 early in the first half.
Troy's high-powered perimeter game answered back as the visitors broke it open again with three 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to take a 58-49 lead. The Trojans held that lead until Miami made its pivotal late-game run.
Williams hit two treys on consecutive possessions followed by another 3-pointer by Rollins from the right corner in the span of 49 seconds to tie it up at 71-71 with 3:26 to play in the game.
After giving up a layup, the RedHawks again knotted the game at 73-73 on two free throws by Mavunga and forced a turnover, giving themselves the chance to take the lead with under two minutes to go.
As the RedHawks looked for an opening, Ballard found Williams open on the wing where he buried the trey with 1:04 remaining to give Miami a 76-73 advantage, the first lead for the Red & White since the score was 2-0.
Miami played suffocating defense down the stretch, holding Troy without a basket over the final 2:22 and iced the game with two free throws each by Rollins and Ballard.
Next up for the RedHawks is a trip to Dayton on Saturday, December 18 for a 7 p.m. tipoff against Wright State. Miami then returns home to face Cincinnati at Millett Hall on Tuesday, December 21 at 7 p.m.
