March 11, 2010
Miami vs. Ohio Semifinal Game Notes 
CLEVELAND - A 17-0 scoring run by the RedHawks early in the game and a great pass from Julian Mavunga to Antonio Ballard late in the contest helped seal a 73-59 victory over Buffalo Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Kenny Hayes led the RedHawks with 27 points.
Miami advances to the MAC Semifinals on Friday, where it will take on the ninth-seed Ohio at approximately 9 p.m. The Bobcats upset top seed Kent State, 81-64, earlier in the day to advance. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Ohio but may be broadcast on alternate stations. Please check your local listings. To get tickets, please call the Miami Ticket Office at 513-529-HAWK or 1-866-MUHAWKS.
Buffalo's Rodney Pierce hit a three-pointer to open the game and the Bulls held Miami off the board for the first three minutes. That would not be a sign of things to come as Hayes opened scoring for the RedHawks with a jumper at the 16:47 mark. That began the 17-0 run for Miami that opened up a 17-3 lead. During the run Rodney Haddix hit back-to-back three-pointers. He was fouled on the second one and hit the free throw to complete the three-point play.
With the help of three-pointers from Hayes and Mavunga, the RedHawks eventually pushed the advantage to 29-11 with 4:29 remaining. Buffalo answered with a 10-1 run to pull within nine at 30-21, but Hayes stepped up to a hit a 15-footer at the buzzer to send Miami into the break leading, 32-21.
Miami shot 56.3 percent (9-for-16) during the first half, including 5-for-7 from three-point range. Hayes led the RedHawks with 12 points, while Haddix contributed nine.
Miami increased its advantage to 41-27 early in the second half. Mavunga hit a three-pointer to open the scoring, and then found Nick Winbush and Allen Roberts on passes for easy layups.
Buffalo did not go away as Sean Smiley hit three triples as part of a 29-15 run over the next nine minutes to pull within two at 56-54. Mavunga answered with a layup to end the run and two possessions later backed the Buffalo defender into the paint before finding Ballard with an over the shoulder pass. Ballard made the layup despite the foul and hit the free throw to complete the three-point play that put Miami up, 61-54.
The Bulls would cut it down to four again with a three-point play of their own. They fouled Hayes and he hit one of his two free throws to make it 62-57 with 2:12 remaining. On the next possession Hayes intercepted a lazy Buffalo pass, and the RedHawks hit all of their free throws down the stretch to secure the 73-59 win.
Hayes' 27 points was his seventh 20-point scoring effort of the season and 14th of his career. Mavunga had 16 points and a career-high six assists. Winbush and Haddix scored 11 each. Smiley led Buffalo with 14 points.
Miami shot 57.9 percent (22-for-38) for the game, compared to 37.9 percent (22-for-58) for the Bulls. Rebounds were even at 30 apiece.
