DEKALB, Ill.— Anderson Mirambeaux recorded a game-high 18 points to lead the RedHawks in scoring and help the Miami University men's basketball team edge Northern Illinois University (NIU) 66-65 in overtime Saturday evening. Morgan Safford added a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Safford also had a team-high five assists. Mekhi Lairy and Ryan Mabrey each added 12 points for the RedHawks (9-18, 3-11 MAC). Anthony Crump led the Huskies (11-16, 7-7 MAC) with 17 points.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Huskies started off the game red hot, taking a 15-2 lead at the start. Back-to-back three-point jump shots from Mabrey and Kamari Williams shrunk the Northern Illinois lead to six points at 16-10. A layup from Julian Lewis kept Miami within seven points with 6:16 until the intermission. The Red and White entered halftime trailing 32-22.
• Mirambeaux scored the first points of the second half to trail by just eight points. NIU attempted to pull away, but Safford proceeded to score the next eight points for Miami to keep the game within reach at 44-32. Northern Illinois ultimately went on a 10-2 run to take their largest lead of the game at 54-34. Mabrey dug deep, knocking down three consecutive shots from beyond the arc to diminish the lead to 11 points with 6:38 to play.
• A collection of layups and relentless defense brought the Red and White within three points with less than a minute left on the clock. With just five seconds left in the game, Safford found Mirambeaux from downtown to tie the game at 58-58. The RedHawks closed out the game on a 14-0 run to force overtime.
• Northern Illinois took the opening points of the overtime, but Mirambeaux and Lairy answered on back-to-back possessions to pull ahead 62-60. Safford dished an assist to Mirambeaux with 1:14 left to stretch their lead to four points. Mirambeaux found himself on the free-throw line with just 22 seconds left and made each to extend the lead to 66-62. With 15 seconds left in overtime, NIU made a three-point field goal, but the effort wasn't enough as Miami claimed a 66-65 win.

NOTES

• Lairy passed Dalonte Brown (2018-22) to move into first place in the program's all-time games played (146 total).
• Safford recorded his fourth double-double of the season.

UP NEXT:
Miami continues conference play by returning home to face off with Bowling Green this Tuesday, Feb. 21. Tip time is set for 7:00 p.m. in Oxford, Ohio.