DaytonDailyNews.com

SPOKANE, Wash. — Miami University's first NCAA tournament game since 1999 is likely to be like most MU basketball games.

That is, a matter of tempo.

The RedHawks figure they'll get squashed this afternoon if they're forced to play the run-and-gun style that Oregon prefers, so Miami will try to slow things down and frustrate the Pacific-10 Conference power before a sellout crowd at Spokane Arena.

"I would expect they haven't seen much pressure like we are going to show," said MU guard Doug Penno, an Alter High School graduate. "I think that will be the key, just making them feel pressured, very uncomfortable. Because as soon as they're playing loose and playing their game, taking the shots that they want as opposed to shots that we want them to take, then we'll be out of luck."

"When you talk about (controlling) tempo, we're just kind of slow," Miami coach Charlie Coles said. "It sounds good when people say, 'Boy, Miami can control tempo,' and I kind of nod ... because it sounds so good. It sounds like, 'Boy, they're being coached.'

"But I don't think we control tempo as much as we try to get a good shot," he continued. "And sometimes it takes us forever. Sometimes we don't get one, which sometimes works for us because the other team thinks, 'Uh-oh, here we go, they're trying to control tempo.'

"Our best players did shoot a very high percentage this season. And so if we can get some of that going, then that's the best thing we can do because on the defensive end, we're kind of at their mercy a little bit."

Oregon coach Ernie Kent compared the RedHawks to Washington State in terms of strategy.

"They kind of sag and take away your driving lanes," Kent said. "It makes us run some particular things that will attack their weaknesses and what they don't want to do."

Kent said his team has been outstanding defensively most of the year, and the Ducks are peaking at the right time, coming off an 81-57 pounding of Southern California in the Pac-10 tournament championship game.

"If they bring their energy to the floor and do what they're taught to do, they're going to be fine, and they're a pretty good basketball team," Kent said. "Ours is a quickness thing and a shooting thing. We want to take advantage of those two areas."

Quotable

 • Miami guard Michael Bramos: "Everyone's nervous in the NCAA tournament. If you're not nervous, then something's wrong with you. But once the ball's thrown up, it's just like playing when you were growing up. There's just tons of people watching."

• RedHawks forward Tim Pollitz: "It's been a little crazy (in the last several days). You see Doug (Penno) on (ESPN's) Cold Pizza. It was like, what, Doug? It's been different, but we try to keep it the same because we've got to come in here and be relaxed and ready to play ball against Oregon."

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2194 or rcassano@coxohio.com.