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Coach: Miami has room to improve
Saturday, February 24, 2007
OXFORD — The Miami RedHawks have won nine of their last 11 games and they've pulled to within a game of Mid-American Conference East Division leaders Akron and Kent State.
But ever-cautious Miami coach Charlie Coles isn't willing to say that his players, after waging a long, uphill battle to reach the .500 mark, finally are hitting their stride.
Extras
"I don't know," said Coles, whose RedHawks will seek their third straight victory this afternoon against the Buffalo Bulls at Millett Hall. "You're afraid to say anything.
"I think our kids are playing better, they're feeling better," he noted. "We've come from a long way. I'm not so sure we didn't lose our confidence with our rugged schedule in November and early December."
Three games into the MAC season, Miami was 5-10 overall and 1-2 in the conference. The RedHawks lost their first seven road games. Their low point probably was Dec. 5 when they lost 64-40 at Illinois State, and this was an Illinois State team that went on to lose 12 of its next 18.
A second low point for Miami came against today's opponent. The RedHawks lost 68-51 at Buffalo on Jan. 14.
Since then, the Bulls are 2-9 and the RedHawks are 9-2.
"Our kids, you could see a little bit of (their confidence) coming back," Coles said. "But we're not there at all because there are so many things we need to do better. We can't rebound at all and we can't hold a lead."
Those problems surfaced during Miami's 64-62 overtime win over Akron on Wednesday. The RedHawks held a 13-point lead early in the second half only to find themselves trailing three different times in the closing minutes, and they were out-rebounded 35-32.
Buffalo is looking for a little redemption from a season turned sour. A victory would give the Bulls their first MAC road win and their first-ever regular-season sweep over the RedHawks.
Two of Buffalo's last three games have gone to overtime and each of its last four games have come down to the Bulls' final possession of regulation. They came away with only one win, 98-90 in overtime against Bowling Green.
Today's game will be the second half of a women's/men doubleheader. The Miami women will face Kent State at noon.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.
