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RedHawks shut down Xavier star Holloway but are undone by mistakes

Turnovers doom Miami.

Xavier's Tu Holloway (front) draws a charging foul from Miami guard Josh Sewell during the RedHawks' 66-60 loss to Xavier on Friday. Check out more game photos at Journal-News.com/miami.

Kareem Elgazzar/Staff photo Xavier's Tu Holloway (front) draws a charging foul from Miami guard Josh Sewell during the RedHawks' 66-60 loss to Xavier on Friday. Check out more game photos at Journal-News.com/miami.

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By Jay Morrison, Staff writer Updated 9:24 AM Saturday, November 19, 2011

CINCINNATI — The Miami University men’s basketball team held Xavier senior All-American Tu Holloway without a field goal for 29 minutes Friday night, but holding on to the basketball proved to be the more difficult challenge.

The RedHawks committed 18 turnovers, and the Musketeers converted them into a number of easy buckets on the way to a 66-60 victory Friday night in front of a Cintas Center crowd of 10,250.

“We made a lot of mistakes tonight that I thought weren’t forced,” Miami coach Charlie Coles said. “I wish we could’ve been a little better with the ball. We made a lot of mistakes.”

The RedHawks (1-1) played even with No. 13 Xavier (3-0) for most of the night, with the lead changing hands 14 times. But Holloway got himself going with a runner in the lane that gave the Musketeers the lead for good at 46-44 with 11 minutes remaining.

Holloway finished with nine points on 3-of-12 shooting.

“I thought the difference in the game was our defensive intensity on the ball,” Xavier coach Chris Mack said. “We created a lot of turnovers that led to breakaway layups, which you don’t usually get a lot of those types of plays against a Miami team.”

In addition to the fastbreak points, the Musketeers cashed in 12 second-chance points on offensive rebounds, including a few big ones down the stretch when the RedHawks were trying to claw back into it after falling behind by as many as nine.

“There were too many little things we didn’t do,” said Miami senior Julian Mavunga, who finished with 17 points and seven rebounds. “They got too many offensive rebounds down the stretch and second chances on free throws. Those are things that cannot happen.”

Sophomore Bill Edwards led the RedHawks with a career-high 21 points and eight rebounds. He hit his first four 3-pointers — all in the first half — while Mavunga also drained a pair of treys before the break.

“They were backing off both of us,” Edwards said. “We just wanted to take what the defense was giving us. We knew if we did the little things we could stay in the game.”

But after shooting 6-of-10 from behind the arc in the first half, Miami made just 2-of-9 in the second half.

“Turnovers were a big part of the game, and their 3-point shooting wasn’t nearly what it was in the first half,” Mack said. “We’re happy we won. We knew it wouldn’t be easy. We knew they would compete tooth and nail.”

Miami closed within 63-60 with 26 seconds to go, but Xavier overcame a difficult night at the free-throw line (12-of-21) to hit three of its final four to seal the win.

Drew McGhee added eight points and Josh Sewell scored seven for Miami, which will play its second of five consecutive road games Monday at Saginaw Valley State.

Xavier returns to action Friday at home against Georgia.

Focus on college basketball No. 13 Xavier 66, Miami 60

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