OXFORD, Ohio – Sophomore Peyton Scott had 31 points and senior Kelly McLaughlin added 20 points but it wasn't enough as the RedHawks dropped a 81-78 decision to the Central Michigan Chippewas on Wednesday evening at Millett Hall. The loss drops Miami to 2-16 overall and 1-13 in Mid-American Conference play while the Chippewas improve to 12-6 overall and 10-4 in MAC play.
 
How it Happened:

• Scott, coming off MAC Player of the Week honors, scored eight points in the first quarter. Katie Davidson beat the buzzer with a triple to cut CMU's lead to 19-14 after 10 minutes of play.
• Davidson knotted the game at 19-19 early in the second with another three-pointer and moments later Davidson found Kelly McLaughlin for an uncontested layup as Miami took its first lead of the game with 8:17 to play in the first half.
• Senior Kenzie Schmitz and Davidson connected on triples late in the first half to push Miami's advantage to 38-31 and the RedHawks went into the locker room leading 39-33, their fourth game in a row with an advantage at the half.
• Scott drilled a three-pointer from the corner and drove between a pair of defenders for a runner off the glass to give Miami a 50-41 lead midway through the third stanza. Following an intentional foul, McLaughlin sank a pair from the free-throw line and Scott hit a baseline jumper to give Miami its largest lead of the contest, 60-45. The RedHawks led 60-47 entering the fourth quarter.
• CMU cut Miami's lead to 66-64 with 6:09 to play as they outscored the RedHawks 17-6 midway through the fourth quarter. Senior Abbey Hoff answered with a three-pointer as Miami regained a five point advantage, but CMU took its first lead of the game since early in the second quarter by a score of 72-71 with 3:08 to play.
• The Chippewas continued to shoot well and gathered an 80-75 lead with 25 seconds to play. Scott converted a layup to cut the lead to 80-77 but Miami could get no closer.

 
 Game Notes:

• Miami finished the game 8-of-19 from behind the arc, its second-best performance of the season.
• Kelly McLaughlin finished the contest 8-of-9 from the free throw line, establishing a new career best. Her previous-high was seven makes versus Liberty back in 2019.
• With 31 points on Wednesday, Peyton Scott becomes the first RedHawk in school history to score 30-plus points in three consecutive contests.

 
Up Next:
Miami hosts Ball State on Saturday afternoon. Opening tip is slated for 1 p.m.