MOUNT PLEASANT, MICH. – The Miami University men's basketball team made several attempts to overcome a slow start, but could not quite get over the hump as Central Michigan earned a 93-82 victory in the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams on Saturday. The RedHawks fall to 7-7 overall and 0-1 in the MAC. The Chippewas are 8-6 overall and 1-0 in the MAC.
As a team, Miami was 31-for-61 (50.8 percent) from the field and went 13-for-25 (52.0 percent) from behind the three-point arc. Central Michigan was able to respond with 15 three-pointers of its own, a season-high against the RedHawks.
Junior guard
Nike Sibande led the way for Miami, finishing with 22 points. He added four rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes of action. Sophomore guard
Mekhi Lairy recorded 18 for Miami on 6-for-8 shooting.
Despite jumpers from freshman guard
Dae Dae Grant and junior forward
Dalonte Brown, it was a tough start for Miami as the Chippewa offense was rolling early. A bucket with 15:02 to go in the first half gave CMU a 19-4 lead. Back-to-back baskets from redshirt freshman guard
Myja White and Grant helped stop the bleeding and get the RedHawk offense moving.
Trailing 25-10, a three-pointer from Lairy began the comeback. With 8:58 left in the period, redshirt sophomore guard
Isaiah Coleman-Lands drained a triple to pull Miami within single-digits at 28-20.
Central Michigan was able to get the lead back to 10 at 35-25, but Sibande began to heat up for the RedHawks. His three pointer, followed by a jumper from Lairy made it 35-30 with 4:44 to go. Another triple and a basket just inside the three-point line pulled Miami to within four at 39-35. The Chippewas scored a pair, but a 25-foot three-pointer at the buzzer by Grant sent the 'Hawks into the break trailing by five, 43-38.
A layup from Brown opened the second half for Miami. On the next possession, senior forward
Bam Bowman got the block and found White for a layup on the run to cut the deficit to only one at 43-42. Central Michigan answered with a 10-0 run that gave it a 53-42 advantage with 16:34 to go.
The RedHawks did not give up as Sibande hit a jumper, while Lairy followed with a three-pointer. A triple by Coleman-Lands and a layup by Brown made it 55-52 at the 13:56 mark.
An 8-0 run by CMU put it in control once again. Sibande kept the RedHawks in it scoring nine straight points, but Miami was unable to cut into the deficit any further. A 9-3 run by CMU put it on top 80-65 with five minutes to go as the teams traded buckets the rest of the way.
Sibande and Lairy were joined in double figures by Grant and Brown, who had 11 points each. The Chippewas had six in double figures, led by Dallas Morgan with 23 points.
The RedHawks remain on the road next Tuesday as they travel to Bowling Green. Tip is at 7 p.m. and it will air live on ESPN+. An audio broadcast will be available on the Miami Sports Network from Van Wagner.
