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Sports TwitterRedHawks need to steal a road game
Miami hopes to win first away game this week with games at Central Michigan and at Toledo.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
OXFORD — If Ohio University basketball coach Tim O'Shea knows what he's talking about — and he almost certainly does — the Miami RedHawks will want to start making up for lost time, lost opportunities and lost games right now.
O'Shea was asked earlier this week about the Mid-American Conference East Division race. "It's going to come down to who can win games on the road," he said.
Extras
Unfortunately for the RedHawks, the last time they won a road game was March 1, 2006, with a 73-59 victory at Bowling Green. But this week they have two chances to prove they are road worthy: tonight at Central Michigan and Saturday night at Toledo.
Miami coach Charlie Coles, whose team is 6-2 at home, 1-2 at neutral sites and 0-6 in road games, knows O'Shea is right.
"Whoever can win on the road, that's the team," Coles said. "We're 0-for-the-road right now. So we've got to go out and prove we can win on the road, which will be a tough task with our next two games."
Central Michigan has lost three straight at home, but the Chippewas have the MAC's second-leading scorer in Giordan Watson (18.8 points per game). Toledo is the only team with a perfect MAC record at 5-0.
Miami is in a three-way tie for second place in the MAC East with Ohio and Kent State, one game behind division-leading Akron.
The RedHawks aren't the only team struggling away from home.
The six teams in the MAC East have combined for a 2-13 record in conference road games. The only two wins have come from Akron (at Bowling Green) and Kent State (at Buffalo). Neither outcome was a shocker.
Notes
Tonight's contest begins a stretch of six consecutive games against West Division teams ... The RedHawks have held 18 consecutive opponents to fewer than 70 points, dating back to last year. The last team to reach 70 was Ohio in its 73-58 victory in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals last March 9.
Today's Game
What: Miami RedHawks (7-10, 3-2 MAC) vs. Central Michigan Chippewas (7-10, 2-3 MAC)
Tipoff: 7 p.m.
Where: Rose Arena (5,200), Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Radio: WMOH-AM (1450), WSAI-AM (1360), WONE-AM (980)
TV: None
Series: Miami leads 43-16.
Probable starting lineups
Miami
Pos. — Player Yr. Ht. PPG
G — Alex Moosmann Fr. 6-0 4.5
G — Michael Bramos So. 6-5 12.4
C — Monty St. Clair Sr. 6-9 3.5
F — Nathan Peavy Sr. 6-8 13.8
F — Tim Pollitz Jr. 6-6 12.4
Central Michigan
Pos. — Player Yr. Ht. PPG
G — Giordan Watson Jr. 5-10 18.8
G — Jordan Bitzer Fr. 6-2 6.3
C — Justin Blevins Jr. 6-7 6.3
F — Eddie Spencer Sr. 6-6 5.5
F — Andre Smyth Fr. 6-7 2.9
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.
