Dec. 30, 2010
Final Stats
NASHVILLE, Tenn.-- Senior forward Nick Winbush scored 19 points and senior forward/guard Antonio Ballard added a career-high 18 points, but the efforts were not enough as Miami fell at Belmont 83-72 on Thursday afternoon.
The RedHawks (5-8) trailed 44-29 at halftime, but rallied to within four in the final three and a half minutes of the game. Belmont, however, sunk seven free throws over the final minutes to preserve the victory.
Miami hit 10 3-pointers and made 44 percent of its shots from the field during the contest, while Belmont (10-3) held a 39-30 rebounding edge. It was the second-most long-range field goals by the RedHawks this season.
Junior forward Julian Mavunga and sophomore guard Orlando Williams also reached double figures for Miami with 11 and 10 points, respectively, while Drew Hanlen led three Bruins in double figures with 18 points. It was the third time in the last seven games that Miami had at least four players score in double figures.
Back-to-back treys by Winbush early the first half lifted Miami to an 18-14 lead with 11:14 to play. The Bruins went on a 15-1 run over the next four minutes to post a 28-19 lead with 7:29 to play. Belmont continued to add to its lead and built a 15-point advantage going into the half, 44-29.
Miami collected the first three buckets of the second half with a layup by Ballard and a jumper and a 3-pointer from Winbush to close within eight points of the Bruins, 44-36, with 18:49 to play. A Kerron Johnson layup pushed the Belmont lead back to double figures, 46-36, but a Mavunga jumper and a pair of free throws by the junior forward cut the Belmont lead to six with 16:41 remaining, 46-40.
Belmont led by as many as 13 in the second half, but Miami persisted and chiseled away at the Bruin lead. Junior guard Chris McHenry drained a 3-pointer with 6:05 to play and sophomore guard Allen Roberts sunk one at the 5:16 mark to pull the RedHawks within seven, 65-58. A three-point play by Ballard with 4:32 to play and a Mavunga free throw at 4:15 further shrunk the Belmont lead to five points, 67-62. A pair of Belmont free throws with 3:41 to play put the Bruins up seven, 69-62, but Winbush came up with a big trey for the RedHawks to close within four points of Belmont with 3:25 remaining, 69-65.
Belmont fired back with a trey to put its lead back to seven points, but Winbush powered in a layup with 2:53 remaining to keep the RedHawks within striking distance, 72-67. Miami was able to get no closer as the Bruins outscored the RedHawks 11-5 down the stretch to post the 11-point win. Seven of the Bruins' 11 points came from the free-throw line in the final minutes.
McHenry dished out a season-high five assists, marking the fifth time this season and the second consecutive game a RedHawk player has handed out five assists in a game.
Miami continues its road trip traveling straight to Kansas for a 6 p.m. (ET) battle with the No. 3 Jayhawks on Sunday, Jan. 2. The game will be televised on ESPNU
