MUNCIE, Ind. – Kam Craft scored a game-high 28 points and the Miami University men's basketball team posted an 80-72 road win at Ball State Tuesday night in Mid-American Conference action. Peter Suder and Eian Elmer added 11 points apiece for the RedHawks (10-4, 2-0 MAC), while Mekhi Cooper chipped in 10. Jermahri Hill and Payton Sparks each scored 20 points for the Cardinals, who fall to 7-7 (1-1 MAC).
  
 How it Happened:

• Miami grabbed an early 7-1 lead on a pair of buckets by Antwone Woolfolk and Craft's first three-pointer of the night. After a 9-2 run for the Cardinals, Craft made his fourth field goal in as many attempts to pull the Red and White within 19-18 at the under-eight-minute media timeout. 
• A thunderous dunk by Elmer followed a Suder driving layup and gave Miami the lead for good at 26-23 with five minutes remaining in the half. Elmer connected on a triple from the top of the arc and added a layup a minute later to keep the RedHawks on top at 31-27. Evan Ipsaro scored the visitors' next four points, and then Craft closed the half with a deep three-pointer in the final seconds to send Miami to the locker room with a 38-33 cushion.
• Craft picked up where he left off after halftime, draining a three on Miami's first possession and then knocking in two more two-point jumpers on back-to-back trips for a 45-40 lead. Elmer chipped in a steal and breakaway dunk to make it 47-40 with 15:54 left. Reece Potter found Ipsaro and Craft for layups on consecutive backdoor feeds for a 51-45 advantage, and then drilled a straightaway three-pointer at the 12:15 mark to make it 54-49.
• Miami continued to find success with backdoor plays, as Woolfolk picked up an assist to Craft and Potter did the same for Suder, with the latter accounting for a 66-60 lead. A driving lay-in from Craft made the score 68-62 at the final media timeout. The RedHawks kept the home team at bay with a backdoor layup by Cooper, again off a Potter assist, followed by a tough turnaround in the paint by Suder at the 2:29 mark to stretch the scoreline to 72-65. Cooper converted four straight free throws down the stretch to match Miami's largest lead at 76-68, and the RedHawks held on from there for an 80-72 final.

 
Game Notes:

• Miami shot 55.4% from the field (31-of-56) and held BSU to 43.4% (23-of-53). 
• The RedHawks picked up their fourth straight win, matching the longest streak under Travis Steele (Feb. 18-28, 2023)
• Miami is 2-0 to start Mid-American Conference play for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
• Potter set a new career high with five assists, and Miami produced 20 or more assists as a team for the fourth consecutive game.
• The RedHawks committed under 10 turnovers for the fifth time this season.
• Suder blocked a season-high two shots.
• Craft finished with his second-highest point total of the season and has scored in double figures in 12 of Miami's 14 games.

 
Up Next:
Miami continues conference play by hosting Western Michigan Saturday, Jan. 11 at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are available here.