Box Score Jan. 20, 2018
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OXFORD, Ohio - Darrian Ringo (21 points) and Logan McLane (20 points) combined for 41 points as the Miami men's basketball team pulled out an impressive 71-53 victory over Ball State on Saturday afternoon.
The RedHawks (10-9, 3-3 Mid-American) snapped a brief two-game losing streak and jump above .500 overall this season with the victory.
Both teams traded leads early on, with a 5-2 Miami advantage representing the largest spread entering the first media timeout with 15:25 left in the first half. Trailing 8-7, MU got a three from Nike Sibande along with a Ringo jumper to go on top by a 12-8 count about five and a half minutes into the tilt.
An 11-2 Cardinal (12-7, 3-3 MAC) run swung the score back in their favor at 19-14 near the midway point of the frame. After going nearly four minutes without a point, the RedHawks rattled off seven straight to regain the lead at 21-19. Rod Mills started the spurt with a three before McLane scored from the baseline to tie it and was fed for a breakaway dunk following a Ringo steal immediately afterward. The surge extended to 13-0 when Ringo and McLane connected on three-pointers, bumping the MU lead to 27-19 with eight minutes showing on the clock.
In a first half filled with runs, the Cardinals countered by trimming the RedHawks' lead down to 30-28 with just over four minutes to go until the break. MU would get the last laugh of the half, finishing up on a 9-2 run to take a 37-30 lead into the break, thanks in part to 13 first half points by Ringo and MU connecting on 7-of-14 three-pointers.
Three-pointers by Sibande and McLane put the RedHawks up double digits (43-33) just under three minutes into the second half. That three by McLane started a string where the senior recorded 12-straight MU points amidst a 15-2 run to make it 52-35 with 14:23 to go.
Miami maintained its 17-point advantage past the midway point of the half thanks to strong foul shooting by Bam Bowman and Rod Mills with Bowman also adding a turnaround fadeaway from the baseline as MU held a 60-43 lead with under nine minutes left. Two more Bowman free throws padded the lead to 62-43 with 8:13 remaining.
The Cardinals scored the next eight points to pull within 11, but the RedHawks were able to maintain a lead of double digits the rest of the way in evening up their MAC record.
Miami picked up 15 steals in forcing 21 Ball State turnovers, giving it a 20-9 edge in points off miscues. That allowed the RedHawks to pull away despite the Cardinals' 47.9 percent shooting (38.6 percent for MU). MU was lethal from long range, knocking down 11-of-23 from beyond the arc and holding BSU to 3-of-12 from distance. Miami also nailed 16-of-19 free throws compared to Ball State's 4-of-7 figure. Ball State did finish with a 35-28 rebounding advantage.
In addition to Ringo and McLane's big games, Bowman (12 points) and Sibande (10 points) also scored in double figures.
The RedHawks return to action on Tuesday when they head to Central Michigan. Opening tipoff is at 7 p.m.
