Miami wins Eighth Straight Game, Defeat Bowling Green 84-76
By: Jack Mueller
(All Photos: Hope Maley / Miami Athletics)
The winning streak rolls on in Oxford.
The Miami RedHawks won their eighth straight game in front of their home fans on Tuesday night, defeating Bowling Green 84-76. The RedHawks, now 14-4 overall, retained their spot at the top of the conference with the victory.
Six RedHawks finished the game with more than ten points, and as a team they made more than 53% of their shots, their seventh best percentage of the year.
“We’re going to get everyone their best shot.” said Peter Suder. The junior guard finished with eleven points, including the game-sealing three pointer with less than a minute on the clock.
“Pete’s a big time player, he’s built for that moment.” said Miami head coach Travis Steele.
Mekhi Cooper led the team with 14, including seven during Miami’s second half run that allowed them to pull away from the Falcons. Eian Elmer, Kam Craft and Antwone Woolfolk combined for 34 points in the starting lineup, with Brant Byers adding 12 more off the bench. Steele compared his squad’s ability to share the offensive load to the newly-crowned national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes.
“They’re not worried about stats, they’re worried about winning.” said Steele, “There’s no jealousy, it’s about helping us win.”
One aspect of Miami’s game was absent on Tuesday, their three point shooting. The RedHawks connected on just 30% of their shots from beyond the arc, their fifth lowest mark of the year.
“Last year’s team, if we don’t shoot well, we probably don’t win.” said Steele, “We can win in different ways.”
The Falcons got the scoring started through their star, Marcus Johnson. The senior forward drilled a contested three from the top of the arc. He would only add eight more points after that shot, as Eian Elmer and Antwone Woolfolk locked him down and forced him into a 4/11 shooting night. Steele had high praise for the Falcons’ star despite a quiet night.
“He’s an NBA shot maker, when he shoots it, it’s fun to watch, but not as an opposing coach.” said Steele.
Miami went on a 4-0 run to take their first lead of the game after a Potter dunk and Elmer midrange jumper. Byers slammed home a dunk through contact to give his team a three point lead.
Byers burst back onto the scene with five minutes left in the half. The freshman wing connected from three, then added two more at the line to give Miami their largest lead of the game at 34-27. Byers ended the half with 10 points, leading the RedHawks at the break.
Byers Slams Home a Dunk for Two (Photo: Hope Maley / Miami Athletics)
The Falcons responded through two threes of their own, dispatched by Johnson and Trey Thomas. Javontae Campbell made two free throws to retake the lead for the visitors with 90 seconds left in the first. A Derrick Butler three sent the visitors to the locker room with the lead at the break 40-39.
The momentum shifted after the break. Miami went on a18-2 run, highlighted by a Mekhi Cooper dunk over two defenders to take their largest lead of the game at 68-56. On the next possession, Woolfolk kept the crowd going with two blocks on Johnson in the paint.
“I’ve never seen him (Cooper) jump that high” said Steele “I was shocked…That changed the game.” He also added that Woolfolk’s blocks were “huge momentum shifters.”
Cooper Finishes a Dunk Through Contact (Photo: Hope Maley / Miami Athletics)
Johnson wasn’t the only Falcon struggling. As a team, they went scoreless for over five minutes in the second half, allowing Miami to grab a foothold on the contest. An alley-oop to Jahmai Felt ended the drought, but the damage had been done.
Bowling Green found some offensive rhythm to get back into the game in the final minutes. Butler and Campbell scored eight combined points for Bowling Green, before back-to-back threes from Johnson and Butler made it a one-point game.
The RedHawks found a way to win though. Suder called game on the next possession with Miami holding a narrow, three point lead. He pulled up from way downtown to connect on a three and give Miami a six-point lead with thirty seconds to play.
“We had to get a good one up.” said Suder “Had to get it on the rim so someone could go get it if I missed.”
After Thomas missed from beyond the arc at the other end, Evan Ipsaro went 2/2 from the charity stripe with six seconds left to give the RedHawks the victory.
Up Next:
The MAC can make a case for having one of the best college basketball games of the weekend on their docket. The 14-4 RedHawks will travel to Akron to play the 13-5 Zips on Saturday. Both teams are undefeated in the conference, so the winner will take sole control of first place, atop the MAC standings.
“It’ll be a great college basketball game. “That place is going to be rocking.” said Steele.