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Sports TwitterPollitz says Miami needs to relax to halt skid
Miami forward Pollitz suggests more balanced offense could help stop five-game losing streak.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
OXFORD — Tim Pollitz said the Miami RedHawks should just chill out.
The RedHawks hope to break a five-game losing streak this afternoon at Millett Hall when they face the Buffalo Bulls, who have lost four in a row themselves.
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Miami's defense has struggled lately, but Pollitz also is concerned about an offense that has been lopsided, relying too much on him and Michael Bramos.
And now Bramos is expected to miss today's game after re-injuring his left ankle Thursday in the 74-62 loss to Kent State. Bramos' future availability will be decided on a game-by-game basis.
"Offensively, it's not like we're relaxed," Pollitz said. "It's like we're scared out there."
That puzzles Pollitz, Miami's leading scorer at 16.0 points per game. After all, this is the team that beat Xavier in the season opener, that almost knocked off Louisville on the road, that did beat Illinois on the road.
"We have to put it in our heads — it's a mind-set — that we've played in so many tough environments this year, and we played well," Pollitz said.
"In the (Mid-American Conference) games it looks like we don't even know how to play basketball," he added. "It's all mind-set. We have to work on that somehow, some way. It's not as physical as it is mental."
Miami's 12-point loss to Kent State was typical. The RedHawks' three league losses have been by an average margin of 12 points, and against the Golden Flashes, Pollitz and Bramos scored 41 of Miami's first 50 points.
"Somehow, some way, we just didn't execute on the offensive side," Pollitz said. "If we did, other guys would get shots, too. Anytime that happens, you're pretty much not going to come out on top."
Despite the losing streak, Miami continues to show strength in two types of national rankings.
On Jan. 15, CollegeRPI.com had the RedHawks ranked second in the nation in strength of schedule and 49th in RPI.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.
