DaytonDailyNews.com

OXFORD — Nick Winbush finally realized that time is precious, even the scant three or four minutes of playing time he had been getting off the bench lately.

It was a wake-up call of sorts for Miami University's 6-foot-7 sophomore forward and, coach Charlie Coles hopes, a sign of things to come for the RedHawks.

Miami's play off the bench has been spotty this season and a fully charged Winbush would give the RedHawks a much-needed boost in that area, starting with their Mid-American Conference game at 2 p.m. today, Jan. 31, at Eastern Michigan.

Winbush played perhaps his best all-around game of the season in Miami's 80-52 victory over Northern Illinois on Wednesday, Jan. 28. He was on the court for 16 minutes — the most playing time he had seen in nearly a month — mainly because he put his time to good use.

All Winbush had to show for his previous six games were two points and two rebounds. But against NIU, he came off the bench in the first half and wasted no time in putting his thumbprint on the game, scoring on a fast-break layup and a couple minutes later stealing the ball and slamming it home.

"It felt good," Winbush said. "In past games I haven't totally taken advantage of the time I was given. (On Wednesday) I told myself I was going to take advantage of the time I had."

Coles said that is the key to any of his players getting a bigger role off the bench.

"He's been looking OK in practice," he said of Winbush, but (in games) guys have got to get in there and get something going. They don't have as much time to do something as the guys who start."

Winbush is the second Miami player in recent weeks who has showed signs of transforming himself. Antonio Ballard has scored 10 or more points in all five games in which he has played since returning from a hand injury that sidelined him for most of December.

"That would be big time," Miami senior point guard Eric Pollitz said. "That is what we need on the wings."