TOLEDO, Ohio— The Miami University men's basketball team went toe-to-toe on the road with three-time defending MAC regular-season champion Toledo for 40 minutes Friday night, but the Rockets rallied late to defeat the RedHawks 68-64.
 
Darweshi Hunter scored 18 points to lead Miami (6-8, 0-2 MAC), while Ryan Mabrey chipped in 14 points. Reece Potter added a career-high 12 points, all in the first half. Ra'Heim Moss paced four double-figure scorers for Toledo (8-6, 2-0 MAC) with 18 points.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The RedHawks got off to a solid start with Bryce Bultman and Potter each putting up four points in the opening three minutes of the contest to give the visitors an 8-4 lead. Although Toledo responded to go up 15-10 after the second media timeout, Miami fought back to tie the game at 19-all at the eight-minute mark on back-to-back hoops by Potter.
• Despite missing their first seven three-point attempts, the RedHawks eventually caught fire from behind the arc. Mabrey's third triple of the half staked the Red and White to a 27-23 lead, and Hunter followed with a three-pointer and a long two to stretch the margin to nine points and force a Toledo timeout. 
• The home team scored two straight buckets to trim the lead to 32-27, but Hunter buried consecutive threes on Miami's next two possessions to give the RedHawks their largest lead (11 points). Hunter missed a deep three-pointer in the final seconds of the period, but Potter was in the right place to tip home the rebound with one hand at the buzzer and send Miami to the locker room up 40-29.
• Hunter picked up where he left off, draining a three-pointer on the opening possession of the second half to give Miami its largest lead at 43-29. An Eian Elmer layup and Hunter dunk made it 47-33 three minutes in. The RedHawks still led by 13 at the 14:20 mark (52-39) after a triple by Anderson Mirambeaux, but the Rockets promptly responded with a 9-0 run to tighten things up. A Mirambeaux lay-in and free throw had Miami on top 57-49 with seven minutes to play, but the hosts rallied and used a 14-2 run down the stretch to take a late four-point lead. In the final two minutes, baskets by Mabrey and Mekhi Cooper each pulled the RedHawks within a point, but Miami missed a potential go-ahead shot with 10 seconds remaining and Toledo held on for the narrow victory.

GAME NOTES:

• Potter and Elmer made their first career starts for Miami.
• Mabrey made a season-high four three-pointers.
• Bultman had a game-high 11 rebounds and six assists, setting his season-high in both categories.

 
WHAT'S NEXT:
Miami travels to Buffalo Tuesday, Jan. 9, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m.