RedHawks Open MAC Play at Bowling Green on Wednesday
1/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Stroh Center (4,347) - Bowling Green, Ohio
Last Meeting: Feb. 28, 2015 (BGSU, 62-57)
Miami IMG Sports Network Affiliates: WMOH 1450 Hamilton; WFMG 101.3 Richmond; WONE 980 Dayton; WDBZ 1230 Cincinnati; WKBV-AM 1490 and 100.9 FM Richmond
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REDHAWKS OPEN MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE PLAY AT BOWLING GREEN: Miami University's men's basketball team opens Mid-American Conference play at Bowling Green on Wednesday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. The RedHawks look for their first road win of the season and try to snap a three-game losing skid. BGSU seeks its third-straight win and tries to move to 6-1 at home this season.
MAC OPENERS: Over its history in the Mid-American Conference, Miami has amassed a 48-20 record in conference openers. The RedHawks are 22-13 when beginning MAC play on the road. Last season, Miami dropped a 79-72 decision at home to Buffalo to start MAC action. The last time the Red and White started conference play on the road was in 2013-14 when the RedHawks posted a 77-70 win at Central Michigan.
ABOUT BOWLING GREEN: The Falcons ride a two-game win streak into Wednesday's game and tout a 9-4 record in non-conference play. Bowling Green is coming off an 87-56 win against Oakland City on Jan. 2 and had strung together six straight wins earlier in the year. The Falcons have used the same starting five in all 13 games this season: Zach Denny, Spencer Parker, Wes Alcegaire, Rasheed Worrell and David Joseph. Denny paces Bowling Green, averaging 13.4 ppg and 7.2 rpg. Parker also averages 13.4 ppg and follows closely behind at 6.2 rpg. As a team, the Falcons average 29.23 defensive rpg, which ranks 22nd nationally.
THE SERIES WITH THE FALCONS: Wednesday marks the 135th meeting between Miami and Bowling Green with the RedHawks owning an 81-53 advantage in the all-time series. When playing in Bowling Green, the Falcons hold a 36-28 edge on Miami. BGSU won the last meeting between the teams, which was in Oxford on Feb. 28 last season, 62-57. The last time the teams played at the Stroh Center was on Feb. 18 last season with the RedHawks notching a 67-56 win. Miami has won its last three meetings with the Falcons at the Stroh Center with BGSU's last win there against the RedHawks coming on Feb. 28, 2013, 52-44.
UP NEXT: Miami returns home to host Toledo at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 9 in a game that will be televised on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel. The RedHawks then hit the road for a pair of games at Kent State at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 12 and at Ball State at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 16. Miami then hosts Buffalo at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 19.
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CHARITY: Early in the season the RedHawks struggled from the charity stripe, hitting 69.2 percent of their free-throw attempts over the first six games. There has been a marked improvement in production from the free-throw line over the past seven games as Miami has sunk 78.6 percent of its charity tosses. Miami currently ranks second in the MAC in free-throw percentage (.741) and ranks 34th nationally. Over the last seven games, senior guard Eric Washington has sunk 36-of-39 (.923) free throws, while senior guard Geovonie McKnight has hit 29-of-37 (.784) charity tosses. Washington has knocked down 17 consecutive free throws dating back to Miami's Dec. 15 game against Jackson State. McKnight had hit 14 straight from Dec. 15 to Jan. 2 until his second-half miss against the South Carolina State.
CLOSING IN ON 1,000: With 954 career points, senior guard Geovonie McKnight is just 46 way from becoming 35th member of Miami's 1,000 Point Club. Miami's last 1,000-point scorer was Julian Mavunga (2009-12), who amassed 1,389 points during his RedHawk career.
HIGH PERCENTAGES: Hitting 68.3 percent of his field goals this season, senior forward LJ Livingston Jr. currently ranks second in the MAC in field goal percentage. Livingston is 41-of-60 from the field in 2015-16.
ROARING 20s: In the first game of 2016, senior guard Geovonie McKnight poured in a career-high 24 points against South Carolina State on Jan. 2 to lead all scorers. It was the first 20-point scoring effort by a RedHawk this season and the first of McKnight's career. He shot a sizzling 75.0 percent from the floor, knocking down 9-of-12 shots and notching a career-best for field goals.
BUILDING BLOCKS: Senior forward LJ Livingston Jr. tied a career-high with four blocked shots against South Carolina State on Jan. 2. Livingston registered three blocked shots in the opening half.
BRYANT AND LIVINGSTON DOUBLE UP AGAINST JACKSON STATE: Senior forwards Chris Bryant and LJ Livingston Jr. each recorded their first career double-doubles against Jackson State on Dec. 15. Bryant amassed a career-high 16 points and tied a career high with 11 rebounds against the Tigers. Livingston notched 11 points and a career-high 10 rebounds against JSU. It was the first time since Nov. 21, 2011 that two RedHawks had double-doubles in the same game when Julian Mavunga and Josh Sewell each recorded a double-double.
REACHING 100: Senior guard Geovonie McKnight has played in every game during his Miami career and played in his 100th game on Nov. 24 against IPFW. McKnight has played in 107 career games entering the RedHawks' next game. He is on pace to break the RedHawks' career games played record of 124, which is shared by Will Sullivan (2012-15) and Julian Mavunga (2009-12).
TOPPING 200: Senior guard Eric Washington eclipsed the 200-assist plateau during the Men Against Breast Cancer Challenge the RedHawks hosted Nov. 20-22. Through 13 games, he has handed out 63 assists and has amassed 239 in his 45-game RedHawk career. He is averaging 4.8 apg this season and has handed out seven or more assists in four games. Washington needs 96 more to crack the career chart. Damon Frierson (1996-99) holds the No. 10 spot with 335 career assists. Washington entered the season with 176 assists, which ranked third on Miami's single-game chart.
MOVING ON UP: Senior guard Geovonie McKnight moved into sole possession of ninth place on MU's career steals list with 146. He is two away from the No. 8 total of 148 by Eddie Schilling (1985-88).
A LITTLE GIVE AND TAKE: Although senior guard Eric Washington is Miami's top assist man and ranks third among MAC statistical leaders at 4.8 per game, Washington has emerged rank among MAC leaders in another category: steals. He averages 1.6 steals per game to rank third among MAC leaders. Washington snagged a career-high six of the RedHawks' 12 steals against UCF. The six steals tie several others for sixth on Miami's single-game list. He has handed out seven or more assists four times this season, including a season-high eight assists against Wright State on Dec. 13 as he committed just two turnovers against the Raiders.
STEALING THE SHOW: Since fourth-year head coach John Cooper took the reins or the Miami program, the RedHawks have consistently been among the nation's top teams for steals. Miami has ranked among the top 35 in steals in the final NCAA statistical standings each of the last three years. In Cooper's first season guiding Miami, the RedHawks recorded 258 steals-the fourth most in program history-and ranked 32nd, averaging 8.3 steals per game. In 2013-14, the RedHawks finished 10th in the country in steals per game (8.6) with their 267 steals ranking as the third-most in program history. Last season, Miami amassed 245 steals and finished 35th nationally in steals per game (7.7). Miami is averaging 7.6 steals per game through 13 games this season.
HOME COOKIN': Before the 2015-16 season even begins, the RedHawks are already setting records. Miami will play a program record 18 home games this season, eclipsing the previous best of 17 home contests the Red and White hosted a year ago.
MILLS AND WASHINGTON NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Behind stellar performances that propelled Miami to the Men Against Breast Cancer Challenge title, senior guard Eric Washington and sophomore forward Rod Mills were named to the all-tournament team. It is the second regular-season all-tournament honor for Washington at Miami, who was named to the Cancun Challenge All-Tournament Team a year ago.
WASHINGTON TABBED PRESEASON ALL-MAC EAST DIVISION: Senior guard Eric Washington was named to the Mid-American Conference East Division Preseason Team. Washington was a second-team All-MAC pick and second-team NABC All-District selection last year. He was Miami's leading scorer in 2014-15 at 14.2 ppg and notched the third-most single-season assists in program history (176). He led the MAC in conference-only games in assists (5.9) and ranked 25th nationally on the season (5.5 apg).
REDHAWKS ON ESPN3: All but two men's basketball home games (Nov. 20 vs. Lipscomb and Nov. 21 vs. Florida Atlantic) will air on the ESPN3 platform. In addition, the MAC recently announced that several games have been picked up for over the air broadcast. The men's basketball games at Bowling Green (BCSN), home against Toledo (Time Warner Cable Sports), home against Central Michigan (American Sports Network), at Western Michigan (American Sports Network), home against Akron (American Sports Network) will be television productions. All television broadcasts will also air on ESPN3. All ESPN3 broadcasts (that have not been also picked up by TV affiliates) feature the "Voice of the RedHawks" Steve Baker handling play-by-play with former Miami men's basketball assistant coach and longtime color analyst Joe Barry.
MIAMI SPORTS NETWORK FROM IMG COLLEGE: In its ninth year of its partnership with IMG College, the Miami Sports Network from IMG College continues its coverage of Miami men's basketball with a group of affiliates blanketing most of Southwest Ohio and Southeast Indiana. For all home games and a select few road games, Terry Bridge will deliver the play-by-play and former RedHawk men's basketball player Ben Helmers joins the crew for his first season providing analysis. For most road games, "The Voice of the RedHawks" Steve Baker will deliver the play-by-play coverage, while Bridge will provide color commentary. Tune in to one of Miami's game-day affiliates: WMOH-AM 1450 (Hamilton, Ohio), WFMG-FM 101.3 (Richmond, Ind.), WDBZ-AM 1230 (Cincinnati, Ohio), WONE 980 (Dayton, Ohio), WKBV-AM 1490 and 100.9 FM (Richmond, Ind.), MURedHawks.com (Miami College Sports Live Subscription).
ODDS 'N ENDS: Sophomore guard Zach McCormick made his first start of the season at Dayton on Dec. 22 and has started the last two games ... the RedHawks shot 52.0 percent from the floor in the first half at Tennessee Tech, their best shooting percentage in the opening 20 minutes this season ... Miami ranks 23rd nationally in forced turnovers (16.3 per game) and 42nd in turnover margin (3.2) ... against Jackson State, senior guard Geovonie McKnight tied a career-high with seven assists and followed that with four assists at Tennessee Tech ... the RedHawks' six-straight home games is the longest stretch of home games for Miami since the Red and White played six consecutive home games to open the 1953-54 campaign.
A MIAMI WIN WOULD ...
- Snap a three-game losing streak for the RedHawks.
- Give Miami its first road win of 2015-16.
- Be the RedHawks' fourth straight win at the Stroh Center.
A MIAMI LOSS WOULD ...
- Be the RedHawks' second straight loss in the series with Bowling Green.
- Drop Miami to 48-21 in Mid-American Conference openers.
- Make the Falcons 6-1 at home this season.
