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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 8:31 AM Wednesday, December 2, 2009

OXFORD — Miami University’s basketball team has a new look to its starting backcourt, a group that coach Charlie Coles said will get even better with time.

Orlando Williams, a 6-foot-4 freshman from Princeton High School, is expected to get his second start tonight, Dec. 2, when the RedHawks face the Dayton Flyers at Millett Hall.

“He’s an offensive threat who brings us a little more size,” Coles said of Williams. “He’s got great potential, and having him play more now will, I think, really help him by the time the league season starts.”

Williams has averaged just 12 minutes through Miami’s first six games, shooting 50 percent from the field and 76.9 percent from the free-throw line. He replaces 6-0 sophomore Kramer Soderberg, who will continue to see serious playing time off the bench.

Miami’s other starting guards are junior Rodney Haddix II, who is shooting 62.5 percent from the floor, and senior Kenny Hayes, who has yet to hit his stride.

“It’s tough being out a year and Kenny’s just kinda getting himself back together ... I think it’s just a matter of time,” Coles said.

“He played well against Kentucky (16 points, five assists, two steals) and Nicholls State (23 points), and his other games were OK. I think he’ll be fine.”

Last season Hayes was off to a Mid-American Conference Player of the Year type of start before hurting his wrist and missing the final 21 games.

Coles would love to see Hayes, who is just 1-for-8 from the 3-point arc over the last two games, find his range against the Flyers.

“I’m pretty sure it’s the best team I’ve seen Dayton have since I’ve been back at Miami,” Coles said. “They’re talented, they’ve got a lot of depth and they’re well-coached.

“I think by the end of the season they’ll be a Top 25 team again,” he said of the Flyers, who opened the season ranked No. 21 before losing back-to-back games to Villanova and Kansas State in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. “They’re a team that’s got to be reckoned with.”

Miami and Dayton have a common opponent. The RedHawks opened the season with an 82-71 loss to Towson (Md.), and Dayton rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat Towson 74-69 last weekend.

Since 2000, the Flyers have dominated the series, going 7-of-9 in games against the RedHawks, including two squeakers in Oxford, 55-54 in 2000 and 63-62 in 2007.

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