Box Score

Buffalo 94, Miami 81

CLEVELAND--Sophomore guard Dion Wade tied a career high with 16 points to lead four RedHawks in double figures, but it was not enough as the Miami University men's basketball team (13-20) suffered a 94-81 loss to the University at Buffalo (18-14) in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament on Thursday night.

Senior guard Geovonie McKnight added 13 points, while sophomore guard Abdoulaye Harouna and senior guard Eric Washington chipped in 12 points apiece. Washington also tallied six assists and McKnight added six rebounds.

Buffalo was outstanding from the floor all evening, shooting 50 percent (30-of-60) overall and 11-of-25 from behind the arc. Miami kept the game close, connecting on 26-of-33 free throws, but were just 23-of-61 from the field and 9-of-22 from three point land.

A bucket from senior forward Chris Bryant and a pair of free throws by McKnight gave Miami an early 4-3 edge. The Bulls went on a 12-2 run to jump out to a nine-point advantage by the 12:30 mark, 15-6. With UB holding a 20-12 lead with just over 10 minutes to play, Miami used a 6-0 flurry over the next minute that included a triple from Harouna to shrink the deficit to two, 20-18. The Bulls hit their fifth triple of the half and added another bucket to extend their lead to seven with just over eight to play in the half, 25-18.

After Miami closed within three off a Washington layup, the Bulls again pushed ahead to a nine-point lead with 3:49 to go, 34-25. Four points by McKnight helped close the gap to five with 44 seconds to play, 36-31, but UB's Rodell Wigginton hit 1-of-2 free throws to send the Bulls into the half with a 37-31 lead.

The teams hit a combined seven 3-pointers out of the gate in the second half with Harouna knocking down one and Wade sinking two for the RedHawks, with the Bulls posting a 49-40 lead less than three minutes into the second stanza. Buffalo pushed its lead to double figures by the 16:39 mark. Miami would get no closer than nine over the remainder of the half as the Bulls went on to advance to the semifinals.

Buffalo was led by Willie Conner with 25 points and Blake Hamilton had 11 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists.