BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Miami University men's basketball team hung with 19th-ranked Buffalo throughout the first half, but ultimately foul trouble and a tough shooting performance in the second half allowed the Bulls to pull away for an 88-64 victory on Saturday. The RedHawks fall to 8-8 overall and 0-3 in the Mid-American Conference. Buffalo improves to 15-1 overall and 3-0 in the MAC.
Miami trailed by only four points at the half after shooting 50 percent in the period. The Bulls countered with 52 points in the second half as they shot 18-for-37 (48.6 percent) during the frame to pull away.
Sophomore guard
Nike Sibande led Miami with 18 points offensively, while senior guard
Darrian Ringo and redshirt sophomore guard
Milos Jovic had 10 each. For Jovic it was a new career-high.
Ringo found junior forward
Bam Bowman down low for a layup on the first possession of the game. The Bulls took the lead on a three-pointer, but the RedHawks took it right back on a layup from sophomore guard
Jalen Adaway. Sibande then scored the next seven points in a row off a triple and two layups to give Miami an 11-3 lead with 17:08 to go.
Buffalo showed its offensive potential over the next six minutes as it went on a 19-2 run to build a 22-13 advantage at the 11:24 mark. A layup by Adaway ended the run, while three-pointers from Bowman and Ringo cut the deficit to 26-24 with 6:38 to go.
The teams traded buckets until Ringo found redshirt sophomore Precious Ayah for a three-pointer that made it a one-point game with 3:57 left. After two UB free throws, Jovic tied the game at 32 on a triple of his own. The Bulls scored the final four point to go into the break with a 36-32 lead.
Miami shot 50 percent (13-for-26) for the first half, while holding Buffalo to 32.1 percent (9-for-28) shooting. The Bulls used 15 made free throws to help build its halftime lead.
Buffalo scored the first seven points of the second half to push the lead to 11 at 43-32 with 17:01 to go. The RedHawks countered with three-pointers from Sibande and Ringo that cut the deficit back to five at 43-38 at the 15:47 mark.
After a bucket by freshman guard Mekhi Lairy made it 44-40 with 14:28 to go, Miami's shot went cold. Buffalo took advantage by going on a 19-2 run over the next six minutes to push the lead to 63-42 at the 8:32 mark. The Red and White hit some three-pointers down the stretch but were unable to get any closer as the Bulls finished off the 88-64 win.
Miami went 22-for-51 (43.1 percent) from the field for the game, while Buffalo was 27-for-65 (41.5 percent). The difference came at the free throw line as the Bulls finished 25-for-35, while the RedHawks were 10-for-15.
Miami remains on the road Tuesday as it travels to Toledo. Tip time is 7 p.m. and it will air live on ESPN3.
