Building with blocks: ’Hawks winning by rejecting shots

Shot altering a point of strength for MU in defensive turnaround.

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer 12:42 AM Saturday, January 30, 2010

OXFORD — Rejection. It’s one area in which Miami University’s hot-and-cold basketball team has been consistently steadfast this season.

And it’s the one thing the Eastern Michigan Eagles can expect from the RedHawks this afternoon, Jan. 30, when the two teams meet at Millett Hall.

Coach Charlie Coles’ team is very good at blocking shots, has been from the start, and is getting even better.

Since the start of the Mid-American Conference season the RedHawks have averaged 4.57 blocks per game, which leads the league.

“We just want to protect the basket, get our arms up and make them shoot over us,” Miami junior forward Nick Winbush explained.

Miami has four different players with 12 or more blocked shots this season, led by sophomore forward Julian Mavunga (16) and Winbush (15).

But senior center Adam Fletcher and junior swingman Antonio Ballard are catching up quickly.

Fletcher has 13 blocks, nine of them coming in MAC play, and 10 of Ballard’s 12 blocks have come in the last seven games.

That’s a big part of Miami’s overall resurgence on defense.

“It’s a lot better,” senior guard Kenny Hayes said. “At the beginning of the year we were giving up 70 points to everyone. We were a young team and it took us a while to understand (how to play defense).”

Apparently, it’s finally sinking in.

The RedHawks, who were giving up an average of 74.3 points through their first five games, have allowed 59.3 over the last three.

Coles said he thinks that trend should continue, even though Miami will play its third game in five days today.

“Our defense was pretty good against Ball State,” he noted, referring to Miami’s 65-59 double-overtime loss at Ball State on Tuesday. On Thursday, the RedHawks held Central Michigan to a shooting percentage of 37.3 in their 64-51 victory.

“I’m hoping we can come back and there’s no reason we can’t come on strong (today),” he said following the CMU game. “Our guys (off the bench) played a little longer. We should be fresh for (today).”

Ballard was the only Miami starter to play more than 33 minutes against Central Michigan.

Winbush, Kramer Soderberg, Rodney Haddix II and Orlando Williams played a total of 49 minutes off the bench.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.