Feb. 24, 2010

Final Stats

ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio University's Tommy Freeman buried a three-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining Wednesday night at the Convocation Center to help the Bobcats edge the Miami University men's basketball team, 70-68, despite 20 points from senior guard Kenny Hayes in the 185th "Battle of the Bricks". With the loss, the RedHawks (12-16, 8-6 Mid-American Conference) and Bobcats (16-13, 6-8 MAC) split the regular-season series, as Miami won in Oxford, 79-67, on Jan. 16.

The contest was a back-and-forth affair that featured seven ties and 15 lead changes with the 14th lead change coming when Hayes drove through the Bobcat defense and put in a lay-up with eight seconds on the clock to put Miami up 68-67, but too much time was left on as Freeman knocked down the game-winner.

Hayes went 6-of-11 from the floor for his sixth 20-point game of the season (17 of which came in the second half) and 7-of-7 at the charity stripe while handing out a team-high six assists. Junior forward Nick Winbush finished with 15 points and seven boards while fellow junior guard/forward Antonio Ballard chipped in 12 points. The Bobcats were led by 25 points from forward DeVaughn Washington, 19 of which came in the final 20 minutes, while Freeman added 19 points for the game, including 6-of-8 from behind the arc (Ohio's only made three-pointers), and freshman guard D.J. Cooper handed out a game-high nine assists.

Miami finished the game shooting 52.0 percent (26-of-50), including 63.6 percent in the second half, but was just 4-for-15 from distance. The 'Hawks did go 12-of-13 at the free throw line and held a 31-25 advantage on the glass, but committed 14 turnovers to Ohio's eight. The Bobcats shot 45.5 percent from the field, but Freeman helped them to 6-of-13 shooting from deep, and Ohio also was 14-of-16 at the charity stripe, including 9-for-9 by Washington.

Freshman guard Allen Roberts hit the game's opening basket, but the Bobcats rattled off the next eight points to take an 8-2 lead five minutes into the contest, with half of the points coming from Armon Bassett. Miami answered with a 10-0 burst of its own over the next three minutes and 30 seconds, fueled by a three-point play from Ballard and a triple from freshman guard Orlando Williams, to grab a four-point cushion at 12-8.

Back-to-back trifectas from Hayes and Winbush gave Miami a 20-12 lead with just over eight minutes to play in the half. The 'Hawks then stretched the lead to 10 at 26-16 on a lay-in by Winbush off a dish from junior guard Rodney Haddix II with just under four minutes on the clock. The Bobcats ended the period on a 6-2 spurt with four points from Freeman, but a stick back by Winbush with 21 ticks to go sent Miami into the break up 28-22.

The RedHawks shot 42.9 percent in the opening period and went 3-for-10 from behind the arc while holding Ohio to just 33.3 percent shooting, including 1-of-5 from distance. Miami was led by Winbush with nine points and six boards in the first 20 minutes while Haddix had three thefts. Washington and Bassett had six points apiece for Ohio in the first half.

The 'Cats registered the first five points of the second stanza to get within one just a minute into the half and a triple from Freeman put Ohio on top, 32-30. Miami answered with five straight points but another three-pointer from Freeman evened the contest at 35 with just over 15 minutes to play. A Ballard lay-up gave the 'Hawks a five-point lead at 44-39 with under 12 minutes to play but Ohio stormed back with an 11-3 run to put Miami in a three-point deficit with 8:17 remaining.

The lead continued to toggle back and forth until Miami surged to a five-point lead at 62-57 with under three minutes on the clock, as Hayes scored eight of the RedHawks' 10 points following a 52-52 tie. Four free throws by Ohio closed the gap to one at 64-63 with 51 seconds remaining. With Miami's margin still at one and 30 seconds to play, the Bobcats stole the ball and were fouled, as Washington sank a pair of freebies to put Ohio up 67-66, leading to the frantic final seconds and ultimately the 70-68 Bobcat win.

The RedHawks play their final road game of the regular season Saturday, Feb. 27 when Miami takes on Kent State at 7 p.m.

--MURedHawks.com--