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6:04 AM Thursday, January 26, 2012

By Pete Conrad

Staff Writer

OXFORD — One of the few continuing bright spots for Miami University’s basketball team has been the play of freshman guard Brian Sullivan.

He came into the RedHawks’ game against the Toledo Rockets leading the Mid-American Conferfence in 3-point baskets in MAC games and had another good night from beyond the arc, sinking 4-of-7 shots in Miami’s 63-61 loss.

Sullivan finished with 13 points, the sixth time in the last eight games he has scored in double figures.

“When three people are guarding Julian (Mavunga), I definitely feel a responsibility to knock down shots and make plays,” Sullivan said of Miami’s leading scorer, who has been drawing a lot of attention from opposing defenses.

Mavunga, who had scored eight or fewer points in two of his last three games, recorded his 10th double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Damon to be a daddy: Damon Frierson was honored at halftime as the latest Miami great to have his likeness appear on home-game tickets this season. Frierson, a key player on the Miami team that went to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1999, said he and his wife, Kitsy, are expecting their first child. The due date is Feb. 4.

Frierson, whose 1,644 career points is the fifth-most in school history, still looks like he could suit up for the RedHawks. “I try to play about once every two weeks,” he said. “I wish I could play more, but it’s hard to find a good game and my knee is hurting me.”

He lives in Columbus, where he works at the corporate headquarters for Cardinal Health.

First-time lineup: Miami used a starting lineup of guards Quinten Rollins, Will Sullivan and Josh Sewell, forward Julian Mavunga and center Drew McGhee for the first time this season.

It was the first time since Dec. 10 that sophomore forward Jon Harris had not started.

Another close one: All six of Miami’s MAC games this season have been decided by eight points or fewer.

Numbers of note: Miami held the advantage in free throws, making 13-of-19 compared to Toledo’s 7-of-8, and also committed just 11 turnovers, its second-lowest total of the season, but was out-rebounded 35-26.

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

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