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Sports TwitterWin, no snow ease Buffalo road trip
RedHawks rebound from tough loss to Western Michigan to post sixth win in seven games.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
BUFFALO, N.Y. — There was nothing dramatic or sensational about the Miami University basketball team's 64-55 victory over the Buffalo Bulls at Alumni Arena.
But it was a win, and there was no snow falling. For Miami coach Charlie Coles that added up to a pretty perfect Buffalo road trip.
Extras
Kenny Hayes scored 16 points, and Tyler Dierkers grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds as the RedHawks rebounded Saturday, Feb. 16, from their double-overtime loss at Western Michigan earlier in the week and tasted victory for the sixth time in their last seven games.
"It's a long trip up here, and you want to come out with a victory, however possible," said senior Tim Pollitz, who scored 12 points for Miami (13-11, 7-5 Mid-American Conference). "It's going to be a good bus ride home."
"This was a pretty big victory for us, coming off a pretty disappointing loss at Western," Coles said. "To come in here and get the victory was great for us."
Coles noted that his team would spend about eight hours on the bus back to Oxford after the game. A reporter pointed out that Buffalo does have hotels.
"Yes," Coles said, "but we don't want to get caught here."
The Miami coach was referring to the legendary lake-effect snows that have stranded more than one team over the years.
The RedHawks seemed uneasy, not about snow, but about the Bulls when Sean Smiley's 3-point basket with 11:59 left in the first half gave Buffalo a 15-11 lead.
Miami responded with a 12-1 run late in the half and a 12-0 run in the second half to take a 51-33 lead with 10:33 remaining.
"They kept coming," Buffalo coach Reggie Witherspoon said of the RedHawks. "That's what they did tonight. A team mature enough to keep coming with their effort."
"Our guys did a great job six minutes before the (first) half ended of getting the lead," Coles said, "and of extending that lead in the second half."
Coles said he was pleased with the play of junior guard Carl Richburg, who came off the bench to spell Hayes and gave his teammates a boost on defense.
"Carl Richburg was key," Coles said. "I wanted to give Kenny Hayes a little rest, give his bearings a little rest."
Richburg came up with two assists and a steal before the Bulls could bat an eye, and also hit 2-of-3 field-goal attempts, including a 3-pointer.
Greg Gamble scored a season-high 15 points for the Bulls
(8-16, 2-10), who lost their second straight.
The Bulls made just 38.6 percent of their shots, becoming the fifth team in the last six games to be held below 40 percent by the RedHawks.
Miami, on the other hand, shot 52.3 percent from the field, their fourth-highest figure of the season and the highest since hitting 53.8 percent in a 69-54 loss at Akron on Jan. 5.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.
