SATURDAY'S GAME: The RedHawks travel to take on the Bellarmine University Knights on Saturday, Dec. 17. This is Miami's 11th game of the season and tip time is set for 4 p.m. at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky.
ABOUT BELLARMINE: Bellarmine transitioned to the Division I level in the 2020-21 season. Head coach Scott Davenport enters his 18th season with the Knights after taking over the program in April of 2005. Coach Davenport holds the most wins in program history. In 2011, he lead the Knights to a NCAA Division II championship. He previously spent time as an assistant at the University of Louisville and Virginia Commonwealth. Guard Garrett Tipton (10.2), forward Curt Hopf (9.7), and guard Peter Suder (8.2) lead the Knights in scoring.
THE SERIES WITH THE KNIGHTS: This Saturday will mark the third all-time meeting between Miami and Bellarmine. The last time each team faced each other was on Dec. 18, 2021. The RedHawks fell 68-77 in a home game at Millett Hall.
UP NEXT: Miami hosts Wright State Thursday, Dec. 22. Tip time is set for 7 p.m. in Oxford, Ohio.
CINCINNATI RECAP: The Miami University men's basketball team dropped a non-conference game at the University of Cincinnati Wednesday night by a score of 103-76.
Mekhi Lairy led the RedHawks (4-6) with 20 points.
Anderson Mirambeaux had 16 points and a game-high seven rebounds.
Morgan Safford added 14 points. David DeJulius had 22 points and Landers Nolley II had 20 for the Bearcats (7-4).
LOCKED IN AT THE LINE: Miami University currently ranks first in the nation in free throw shooting percentage. As a team, the RedHawks are shooting 83.6%.
Mekhi Lairy leads the way, ranking fourth in the nation and first in the MAC.
Anderson Mirambeaux finds himself ranked 34th nationally and third in the MAC.
MEKHI LAIRY: Among the returners is fifth-year senior
Mekhi Lairy, who set Miami's single-season free-throw percentage record a year ago and currently holds the career free-throw percentage record. Lairy, who averaged 13.6 ppg in 2021-22, posted his 1,000th career point last season and is on pace to break Miami's career games played record this season. Lairy now has 1,350 career points. He is in 16th place on the program's all-time list after passing Craig Tubbs versus Indiana State. Lairy also surpassed Ron Harper on the career assists list to take the 10th spot all-time against Jackson State. This season against Georgia, Lairy set a new career-high in points (34) and produced the first 30-point game for a RedHawk since Mar. 9, 2020 (Nike Sibande, 31).
STAND AND DELIVER: One of the most efficient free throw shooters in the conference, fifth-year senior guard
Mekhi Lairy ranked first in the MAC in free-throw percentage in the 2021-22 season. Lairy hit 29 consecutive free throws from Nov. 27 through Jan. 29. He was perfect from the free-throw line in 18 of the 25 games where he attempted a free-throw shot. His .915 (2021-22) free throw percentage ranks first on Miami's single-season list and his .865 career free-throw percentage also ranks first. Mekhi has started the 2022-23 season 44-46 from the free throw line.
SHOWING OUT: Against Jackson State, six RedHawks put up double-figures in scoring for the first time since Nov. 23, 2021. This included
Morgan Safford (26),
Ryan Mabrey (15),
Billy Smith (14),
Julian Lewis (13),
Anderson Mirambeaux (12), and
Mekhi Lairy (11). Overall, Miami shot 60% (33-55) from the field. The Red and White also shot 50% (14-28) from the three-point line. Each shooting percentage was the most for a RedHawk team since Nov. 13, 2021. Against Calumet College, the RedHawks shot a season-high 59.3% from beyond the arc.
NEW FACES, NEW PLACES: Two RedHawks recorded double-doubles in Miami's first win of the season versus Goshen College. Sophomore transfer
Julian Lewis made his season debut, tying his career-high of 17 points and setting a new career-high of 10 rebounds. Freshman
Billy Smith recorded 11 points, 12 rebounds, six steals, and four assists. This year the RedHawks boast five freshmen, three sophomores, three juniors, three seniors, and a fifth-year senior.
INCOMING TALENT: Julian Lewis is a guard from William & Mary where he averaged 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. He recorded a career-high of 17 points versus Delaware and a career-high of eight assists against Valparaiso. As a freshman, Lewis was named to the CAA All-Rookie Team. This season Lewis has averaged 10.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
Morgan Safford is a guard from Wofford College. During his tenure he averaged 7.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. He recorded his previous career-high 21 points versus Coastal Carolina as a redshirt freshman. During his first campaign, Safford was named to the 2020-2021 Southern Conference All-Freshman Team. He was named a captain at the beginning of the season for the RedHawks. Safford set a new career-high 26 points against Jackson State in his third game of the season. This season Safford has averaged 14.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
Anderson Mirambeaux is a forward from Cleveland State University. While attending he averaged 1.5 pts, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists with the Vikings. Prior to Cleveland State, Mirambeaux attended Trinity Valley Community College. At TVCC he averaged 13.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. He was named a captain at the beginning of the season for the RedHawks. In
Anderson Mirambeaux's first game with Miami, he set a career-high 27 points. In the game versus Jackson State, he also set a career-high in assists with seven. Up to this point, Mirambeaux is averaging 13.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
DEFENSIVE STAND: In the second game of the season against Goshen College Miami forced 27 turnovers. This is the most for a RedHawk opponent since Nov. 17, 2015 (Kenyon, 24 turnovers). Miami recorded 18 steals (second highest in program history), led by freshman
Billy Smith with six total.
