They combined to score half of Miami’s points, led by Michael Weathers’ team-high 21 in 24 minutes after starting at point guard. The 6-foot-2 Weathers also had seven rebounds and a team-high three steals, but he also committed seven turnovers.
“Michael Weathers played well,” Cooper said. “He’s got to do a better job of taking care of the basketball. He’s a good athlete. He’s long. He earned it.”
Weathers didn’t learn he was starting until about three minutes before the game, he said.
“The nerves didn’t hit until about two minutes before the game,” said the Kansas native, whose twin brother, 6-5 Marcus, scored 11 points, all in the second half. “I turned the ball over too much. They wore off. I was surprised to start. I’ve been working hard, but I didn’t think they’d give freshmen a chance.”
Cooper, who really doesn’t have a choice about playing freshmen since they comprise almost half of his 13-player roster, had mixed feelings about the showing of the overall class.
“I’m hard on freshmen,” he said. “I would give them a ‘C.’ I want more and more. Mike had seven turnovers, and that ruined it for all the freshmen. They had seven turnovers, and they all belonged to Mike.”
Junior forward Logan McLane, who finished with eight points, eight rebounds and five of Miami’s 10 blocked shots in 18 minutes, was more impressed.
“They’ve come a long way,” the 6-9 McLane said. “I think they’re going to turn a lot of heads in the (Mid-American Conference) and in college basketball. I see it every day in practice.”
Miami came out a little sluggish against the Fighting Muskies, who led 10-5 seven minutes into the game before the RedHawks took command with a 13-0 run, capped by seven unanswered points by Michael Weathers.
“We had two scrimmages, so this was their first game under the lights with fans in the stands,” Cooper said. “We looked like we were dead and overanxious during the first two timeouts. From the midpoint of the first half into the second half, I thought we settled down and were able to execute and do some things.”
The RedHawks overcame 20 turnovers to pull away, leading by as many as 30 points, 72-42, on a Marcus Weathers 3-pointer with 4:53 left in the game.
Even though Miami outrebounded Muskingum 53-40, Cooper felt that McLane and 6-7 junior forward Rod Mills could have finished with more. Mills had seven grabs in 22 minutes.
“There were too many tipped balls,” Cooper said. “No disrespect to Muskingum, but against a team like Wright State, those are balls you’re not going to get a second chance to get.
“We’ll get better. I’ll take it. We missed too many free throws (19-of-31) and had too many turnovers. It’s always good to get that first game under your belt.”
The RedHawks are at Wright State on Tuesday at 7 p.m. before returning to Millett Hall on Nov. 18 to open a five-game home stand with the Tarkett Sports Classic, which features three games in three days against Delaware, Austin Peay and Northern Kentucky.
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