OXFORD, Ohio – Playing its first game in 10 days, the Miami University men's basketball team used some timely offensive rebounds in the final minute to earn a 70-67 victory over Evansville Sunday afternoon. The RedHawks complete non-conference play at 8-5, while the Purple Aces fall to 6-7.
Junior forward
Bam Bowman led Miami with 13 rebounds, including seven offensive. His rebound and putback layup with five seconds to go put the RedHawks up three and helped secure the win. As a team Miami held a huge 44-30 rebounding advantage, including a 17-3 lead in offensive rebounding.
Sophomore forward
Dalonte Brown finished with a team-high 16 points, while freshman guard
Mekhi Lairy scored 14 points, all in the second half, against his hometown team.
The teams traded buckets in the first five minutes, as sophomore forward
Elijah McNamara hit a couple jumpers from the foul line, while a pair of Brown free throws put the 'Hawks up 10-8. The Purple Aces followed with a 7-0 run to take a 15-10 lead with 10:15 left in the first half.
Brown ended the Evansville run by draining a three through contact. He completed the four-point play by converting the free throw. The two teams continued to trade buckets until a triple from sophomore guard
Nike Sibande tied the score at 22 with 6:01 to go. Another three-pointer from Sibande tied the game at 27 at the 4:50 mark.
Miami's shot was cold the remainder of the period as it managed only one more bucket, a Brown triple, plus a free throw. The Purple Aces closed the half on an 8-4 run to go into the break with a 35-31 advantage.
Evansville opened the second half on a 7-4 run to build its largest lead at 42-35 with 17:03 to go. Three buckets from Lairy, along with a steal and layup from senior guard
Darrian Ringo were part of a 12-0 run over the next four plus minutes to take a 47-42 advantage. Ringo had another steal and layup, but the Purple Aces answered with a 9-5 run to pull within one at 52-51 at the 9:44 mark.
Brown hit a layup in the paint, while a couple of Ringo free throws made it a five-point lead for the RedHawks. Evansville followed with an 8-0 run to go in front 59-56 at the 5:10 mark. A three-pointer by sophomore guard
Jalen Adaway tied the score.
Tied at 61, Lairy put Miami back on top with a layup at the 3:48 mark. The Purple Aces tied the score at 64, but a jump shot from Lairy made it 66-64 with 2:42 to go. After Evansville drained one free throw, the teams traded buckets making it 68-67. The RedHawks used up the shot clock on their next possession but the layup came up short. Bowman was there for the rebound and putback to make it 70-67. The Purple Aces had one final shot but it bounced off the rim as Miami came away with the victory.
Bowman and redshirt senior guard
Abdoulaye Harouna had eight points each for the RedHawks, while Adaway and Ringo each finished with seven.
Miami opens Mid-American Conference play on Saturday when it hosts Central Michigan. Tip time is 2 p.m. and it will air live on ESPN3.
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