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Sports TwitterPenno leads RedHawks to OT win over Bobcats
Monday, January 22, 2007
OXFORD — Miami University's Doug Penno figured he and his teammates owed the Ohio Bobcats basketball team some payback.
"OU's a very big rival, and I've always really looked forward to it. I've always had a strong dislike for them," said Penno, an Alter High School graduate. "Probably because they've knocked us out of the (Mid-American Conference) tournament the last two years."
Extras
Penno answered those two knockouts with some haymakers of his own Sunday afternoon as the RedHawks edged the Bobcats, 72-69, in overtime before a snowstorm-thinned crowd of 2,185 at Millett Hall.
The senior drilled four 3-point baskets, including one late in the second half and two more in OT as Miami (7-10, 3-2 MAC) won its second straight.
Two years ago, Miami won the MAC regular-season championship but was upset in the MAC tournament semifinals by Ohio, 63-56, and the RedHawks had to settle for a berth in the NIT. Last season, the Bobcats eliminated the RedHawks in the MAC quarterfinals, 73-58.
Miami coach Charlie Coles didn't mention anything about revenge, but he did note that "OU's given me two of the biggest basketball disappointments in my life."
The first happened in 1964, Coles said, when he was a guard at Miami.
"We lost to Ohio, 63-60, at Withrow Court — I remember everything about that game — and it prevented us from going to the NCAA. Two years ago was the other," Coles said, referring to the MAC semifinal loss.
Neither team scored for the first minute and a half of overtime, but then a baseline jumper by Michael Bramos put the RedHawks on top, and 3-pointers by Penno with 1:47 and 0:17 left made sure they stayed there. Penno finished with 12 points off the bench, going 4-for-7 from 3-point range, and he also had four rebounds, three assists and a steal.
"I think he's figured out by now that he's our best passer," Coles said of Penno. "He's a leader, and I don't know of anyone more important on our basketball team."
Miami led by as many as 11 points in the second half, but the Bobcats rallied to take a 63-61 lead with 2:10 remaining following back-to-back 3-point baskets by Bubba Walther and Sonny Troutman.
A putback by Miami's Tim Pollitz with 1:26 left tied the game.
Bramos finished with a game-high 22 points despite going cold from behind the 3-point arc in the second half (1-for-8), and he also led the RedHawks with four assists and five steals.
Pollitz scored 18 points for Miami, connecting on 8-of-11 shots, and Nathan Peavy grabbed 10 rebounds.
Ohio (12-6, 3-2) suffered its second straight overtime loss despite having all five starters score in double figures, including former Beavercreek High School star Jerome Tillman (13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists).
Other MAC games
Toledo 76, Northern Illinois 60: Florentino Valencia scored 15 points — hitting 6-of-7 shots from the field — and three other Toledo players reached double digits.
Jonathan Amos added 13 points and Keonta Howell and Kashif Payne each had 11 for the host Rockets (9-8, 5-0).
James Hughes led Northern Illinois (4-13, 1-4) with 17 points.
Akron 66, Buffalo 59: Romeo Travis scored 12 points, including a dunk in the second half that put host Akron (13-4, 4-1) ahead to stay. Yassin Idbihi led Buffalo (9-9, 1-4) with 18 points.
