Box Score OXFORD, Ohio - In a game featuring several back-and-forth big runs, it was Ohio who made the last push as the Miami RedHawks (12-19, 5-13 Mid-American Conference) fell 67-65 to the visiting Bobcats (16-15, 8-10 MAC) on Friday night at Millett Hall.
Ohio scored the game-winning basket on a put-back layup with 14 seconds remaining, and Miami's final attempt at the buzzer came up short.
On his senior night,
Bam Bowman led Miami with 17 points and five rebounds.
Dae Dae Grant chipped in 13 points, while
Isaiah Coleman-Lands rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points.
Defense controlled the game for both teams from the outset of the contest. Bowman hit the game's first shot with a strong layup in the post, but the RedHawks would go just 3-of-9 from the floor across the next ten minutes, with a layup from Grant and two jumpers from Eli McNamara providing the offense.Â
Miami's defense would hold up, however, as the RedHawks limited the Bobcats to just 4-for-13 shooting and 11 points themselves in the first ten minutes of play. McNamara had a pair of blocks to go with his two field goals, and the score was just 11-9 in favor of Ohio at the halfway mark of the first half.
The Bobcats would go on a bit of a run to extend their lead to 18-11 with 6:56 left in the half. Miami would then battle back and ultimately retake the lead with a 9-0 run. After a Coleman-Lands layup and pair of Grant free throws, Bowman buried a triple off a feed from Coleman-Lands to tie the game and Coleman-Lands then took it himself on a driving layup to give the 'Hawks a 20-18 advantage with 4:15 to play in the first half.
However, Ohio would have an answer as the Bobcats went on an 11-2 run themselves to take a 29-22 halftime lead.Â
The Miami defense held OU to 35.6% shooting in the first half, while the 'Hawks shot 36%.
Grant would provide Miami with a spark early in the second half with six quick points. After a pair of free throws for Miami's first points of the period, Grant hit a straightaway three-pointer while being fouled and made the free throw to shrink the Ohio lead to 31-28.
The teams would trade baskets over the next few minutes, with Miami keeping it within a few points but not able to regain the lead. Trailing by six with 13:38 left, McNamara started the 7-0 run after a three-point play before
Nike Sibande hit a three and Makhi Lairy made a jumper to give the RedHawks a 41-40 lead with 11:43 left.
That 7-0 run would ultimately turn into 20-3 for Miami. Lairy would hit another field goal, and then Coleman-Lands would make a three to make it 46-41 Miami with nine minutes left. Grant would post a three-point play on an acrobatic put-back layup and Bowman added an and-one layup of his own as the RedHawks stretched their lead to 54-43 with 6:53 remaining.
The Miami lead would reach 63-53 with three minutes to go, but Ohio would close the contest with a 14-2 run. After a three and back-to-back layups, the Bobcats would tie the contest at 63 with 1:56 left on another triple. Both teams traded scores to make it 65-65 with a minute left, and Ohio would eventually capitalize on two offensive rebounds to score with 14 seconds remaining. Miami's final attempt at the buzzer would come up short.
Jason Preston was Ohio's top scorer with 24. Miami out-shot the Bobcats by a margin of 45.8% to 39.7%, while OU had 35 rebounds to Miami's 30. The game featured seven lead changes.Â
Miami will be the 12 seed in next week's MAC Tournament and will go on the road Monday.Â
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