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Technical on Rollins draws ire of Coles

MU coach says he was no fan of call on guard, but game well-officiated.

Zips’ 2nd-half surge puts away RedHawks

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12:18 AM Thursday, February 16, 2012

By Rick Cassano

Staff Writer

AKRON — Charlie Coles was pretty subdued most of the game Wednesday night. Then, suddenly, he wasn’t.

The Miami University men’s basketball coach reacted angrily when sophomore guard Quinten Rollins was hit with a technical foul late in the RedHawks’ 74-59 loss to host Akron at James A. Rhodes Arena.

“I hold the right to vehemently protest, which I did,” Coles said. “Some people were talking about, ‘You don’t look like you have any life.’ Well, did you get a tape of what I just did? I had a lot of life on that, didn’t I? Oh, yeah.”

Rollins appeared to say something in reaction to a bump from the Zips’ Chauncey Gilliam with 1:15 remaining. Rollins was whistled for a “T,” and Coles let the officials know he wasn’t pleased.

“Rollins did something he shouldn’t have done,” the MU coach said. “But in my way, we’re getting our butt kicked. It’s a long year. You don’t need to teach Rollins or me a lesson. I’ll guarantee you I’ll give Rollins some of the best lessons he’s ever had in his life. When referees start trying to teach them a lesson, no, I’m not listening.

“The guy said something to Rollins first,” Coles continued. “He bumped him and said something. So if somebody bumps you and says something, what’s the limits to that? I ain’t Martin Luther King. I’m teaching my kids to play hard, to play fair.

“I thought the game was refereed well,” he added. “Make sure you put that down. Just that one incident where I put on my boxing gloves.”

In last place, but ...

Miami is in last place in the Mid-American Conference East Division, but 13 of its 16 defeats have come by less than 10 points.

Akron coach Keith Dambrot knew his squad was in for a fight Wednesday.

“They’ve been snakebit,” he said. “They could be very easily towards the top of the league.”

Dambrot is a Coles fan and called the RedHawks coach “a real tribute to the sport.”

“I love Charlie,” Dambrot said. “He cares about the kids. He’s overscheduled for years. This year, just think how competitive they are considering what happened to them.

“I can’t say enough great things about Charlie,” he added. “I recruited his son. I go way back.”

Sinking their throws

Among Wednesday’s statistics was Miami’s 11-of-12 effort at the foul line. The lone miss (by Rollins) came with 1:38 left.

Julian Mavunga and Jon Harris both had six rebounds for the RedHawks. Mavunga dished out six assists and Rollins added five.

The Tigers are coming

Miami returns home Sunday to face the Tennessee State Tigers in a 3 p.m. BracketBuster contest at Millett Hall.

Focus on college basketball Miami University notes

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