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Coles leaning toward retirement after season

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5:37 PM Friday, January 27, 2012

By Pete Conrad

Staff Writer

OXFORD — This could be the final season for a Miami University icon, men’s basketball coach Charlie Coles.

When asked Friday afternoon about his future plans, Coles replied, “Let me say this. I don’t know. It’s looking more and more like this could be it — for several reasons, all of them mine. I’m not sure. It ain’t final.”

It has been a difficult season for Coles, who will turn 70 next month and who has coached more games (475) in more years (16) while earning more victories (259) than any man in program history.

The RedHawks have lost three projected starters and will take a 5-13 record and a three-game losing streak into today’s game at Western Michigan. Eight of the losses have come after Miami led at halftime.

Coles, however, said he still enjoys coaching. “I enjoy it because I’ve got this team,” he said. “These guys are working so hard.”

He pointed to players like Adam Thomas, the senior forward from Springboro who is seeing consistent playing time for the first time in his college career.

“He is very dedicated,” Coles said of Thomas, who has played in 14 games this season after having played in 18 the last three years combined. “He loves basketball. He’s stuck with it, and playing him is a good thing. He has a lot of energy, he’s easy to coach and he’s helping our team.”

The RedHawks are a young team, however, made more so by the losses of junior Orlando Williams (who left school), junior Allen Roberts (knee surgery, out for the season) and sophomore Bill Edwards (wrist surgery, not expected to return).

Despite starting different mixes of four freshmen and sophomores along with senior Julian Mavunga in 16 of its first 18 games, Miami has come tantalizingly close to beating Xavier, Wright State, Evansville, Akron, Kent State, Ohio and Toledo.

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

Today’s game

Who: Miami RedHawks (5-13, 1-5 MAC) at Western Michigan Broncos (9-11, 3-3 MAC)

When: 4 p.m.

Where: University Arena, Kalamazoo, Mich.

TV: None

Radio: WMOH-AM (1450)

Series: 81-39

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