DaytonDailyNews.com

OXFORD — The Miami RedHawks fell back into a bad habit in Saturday's game at Indiana State and got away with it.

The RedHawks know they probably won't be so fortunate if the same thing were to happen tonight at Millett Hall against the Akron Zips.

A victory over the leaders of the Mid-American Conference East Division would put the RedHawks back into the thick of the regular-season title chase, but first things first.

Victory comes only with execution on the court, and for a big chunk of the first half at Indiana State the only thing Miami's offense got done was hasten the aging process for coach Charlie Coles. During a span of 7 minutes, 16 seconds, the RedHawks didn't make a basket, didn't score a point.

And this is an offense that went into the game leading the MAC in shooting percentage (.488) since the start of the conference season. The RedHawks got their act together in the second half, wiped out a 10-point deficit and beat Indiana State 70-58.

But the Zips, unlike the Sycamores, are not on a downward spiral. Miami can't afford an offensive brain cramp against a team that ranks first in the league in scoring offense, second in scoring defense and second in rebounding margin.

"We always have little spells when we can't score," Miami junior forward Tim Pollitz said. "We've got to keep moving and set screens, that's the key. That will create more shots for us."

"I was surprised that we weren't patient," Coles said of the scoring slump at Indiana State. "We weren't moving without the ball. That's one of the things we emphasize."

For the most part, Miami's offense had been patient over the last eight games and has been moving without the ball.

During that span Pollitz has scored 20 or more points six times and Nathan Peavy has scored 19 or more points four times. Two weeks ago the RedHawks had their season's highest single-game point total in a 74-64 win at Eastern Michigan.

Nobody in the MAC has been able to stop Pollitz, who has 13 straight games with 13 or more points. In MAC-only games, he ranks second in the conference in scoring (18.5) and second in field goal percentage (.641).

"Tim's at his best when he's patient in the post," Coles said, "when he takes all the time in the world."

The entire Akron team is about as hot as Pollitz.

The Zips have won 11 of their last 12 and some of the scores have been staggering. Their 79-48 romp over Ohio last week, for instance.

Akron, however, was fortunate to escape with a 54-52 home win over Miami on Jan. 11, and the Zips have not won at Millett Hall since Jan. 24, 2001.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.