Fri, Feb 26, 2021

SATURDAY’S GAME: Miami returns home to host Kent State at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27 in the second meeting between the teams this season. It is the final home game for the RedHawks this season.

ABOUT KENT STATE: The Golden Flashes enter Saturday’s game with a 14-6 overall record and 11-5 MAC mark. KSU had won four straight before dropping a 90-71 decision at Ball State on Wednesday. Danny Pippen leads the team, averaging 19.5 ppg and 8.6 rpg. Tervell Beck averages 10.5 ppg. On the season, the Golden Flashes are averaging 78.5 ppg and are averaging 77.8 ppg in MAC action.

THE SERIES WITH THE GOLDEN FLASHES: Saturday marks the 149th meeting between Miami and Kent State with the RedHawks holding a 92-56 lead in the all-time series. When playing in Oxford, Miami is 54-17. The Golden Flashes have won the last two meetings, both in the M.A.C. Center, including a 77-68 win on Feb. 2 earlier this year. Miami’s last win in the series was the last meeting between the teams at Millett Hall, a 77-74 triumph on Jan. 14, 2020. KSU’s last win in Oxford was on Mar. 5, 2019, 75-66.

TELEVISION: Saturday’s game will be televised on ESPN3. Steve Baker and Randy Hollowell will call the action.

RADIO: In its second year of its partnership with Van Wagner, the Miami Sports Network, powered by Pepsi, continues its coverage of Miami Basketball with a group of affiliates blanketing most of Southwest Ohio and Southeast Indiana. The radio broadcast also will be carried via the TuneIn App. Terry Bridge will call the action. Tune-in to one of Miami’s gameday affiliates:
WFMG-FM 101.3 (Richmond, Ind.)
WMOH-AM 1450 (Hamilton, Ohio)
WONE-AM 980 (Dayton, Ohio)
TuneIn App

REDHAWKS CLINCH SPOT IN MAC TOURNAMENT: Miami has secured a spot in the eight-team Mid-American Conference Tournament in Cleveland March 11-13. The RedHawks clinched a berth following a 74-66 win at Western Michigan on Feb. 25 and with three regular-season games remaining on their schedule.

STREAKING: Miami has won three straight, all on the road and all coming during a six-day stretch as the RedHawks captured a 69-64 win at Northern Illinois on Feb. 20, a 96-54 win at Central Michigan on Feb. 23 and a 74-66 win at Western Michigan on Feb. 25. The string of wins equals a three-win stretch over five days for the RedHawks in late January.

ROARING 20s: In Miami’s last six games, four different RedHawks have eclipsed 20 points in scoring, two notching career-high scoring efforts of 24 points. 

• Junior forward James Beck came off the bench at Buffalo on Feb. 6 and poured in a career-high 24 points off 10-of-14 shooting from the floor, connecting on 71.4 percent of his shots. He was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. 
• Junior guard Mekhi Lairy amassed a career-high 24 points against Akron on Feb. 12, tallying 12 points in each half. Lairy knocked down 8-of 14 field goals (.571) and was 6-of-7 from the free-throw line. 
• Senior forward Dalonte Brown tallied a season-best 21 points off 6-of-10 shooting from the field, including a 3-for-7 effort from three-point range at Toledo on Feb. 16. He also sunk all six free throws. 
• Sophomore guard Dae Dae Grant recorded 26 points off 8-of-18 shooting, including a 4-of-10 effort from three-point range, while knocking down 6-of-7 free-throw attempts at Northern Illinois on Feb. 20. 
• Grant followed with a 25-point effort at Central Michigan on Feb. 23. He was 9-of-14 (.642) from the field, including 7-of-12 (.583) from three-point range.
• Brown and Lairy teamed up for a pair of 20-point scoring efforts in a 74-66 win at Western Michigan on Feb. 25. Brown was 7-of-14 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line, while Lairy was 6-of-17 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. Both were 3-of-7 from three-point range. 

BROWN REACHES 1,000 CAREER POINTS: Senior forward Dalonte Brown became the 37th member of Miami’s 1,000 Point Club on Jan. 12, 2021. Brown enters Miami’s next game with 1,172 career points and has moved up to 28th on the list. 

MORE ON BROWN: Dalonte Brown played in his 100th career game on Tuesday, Dec. 15 against Buffalo. He made his 100th career start against Toledo on Tuesday, Jan. 26. Entering Miami’s next game, Brown has played in 115 career games and made 108 career starts, which ranks seventh among MU career leaders.

FEBRUARY 23 HIGHLIGHTS

• Miami set a program record for three-pointers in a game with 18 at CMU, eclipsing the previous record of 17 against Midway on Nov. 29, 2017. Six different RedHawks contributed to the record. 
• Sophomore guard Dae Dae Grant led all players with 25 points, including a 7-for-12 effort from three-point range. His seven treys tie for eighth among all-time Miami leaders in a single game.
• The 96 points against the Chippewas match the season-best scoring effort the RedHawks had earlier this season against Bowling Green on Jan. 21.
• The 58 first-half points for the RedHawks were their most in a half this season, besting a 55-point second-half effort against Bowling Green on Jan. 21.
• Miami shot 52.1 percent from the floor and 51.4 percent from three-point range for the game. The RedHawks shot 61.1 percent from the field and 63.2 percent from three-point range in the opening half.
• The 42-point win for the RedHawks in their 96-54 triumph at Central Michigan on Feb. 23 ties for the 19th-largest margin in a win and is third-largest margin of victory against a MAC opponent. It is Miami’s biggest win against CMU.

ODDS ‘N ENDS

• Senior guard Milos Jovic joined the Century Club on Jan. 30 against Western Michigan, playing in his 100th career game. Entering the RedHawks’ next game, Jovic has played in 106 career games.
• With 25 points at Central Michigan on Feb. 23, sophomore guard Dae Dae Grant notched his fifth 20-point scoring effort of the season and now has the top four scoring efforts for Miami this season. Grant also scored 28 points at Eastern Michigan (Jan. 23) and 27 points against Bowling Green (Jan. 21) and 26 points at Northern Illinois (Feb. 20).
• Redshirt junior guard Isaiah Coleman-Lands has been stingy with turnovers and currently boasts a 2.57 assist/turnover ratio with 59 assists to 23 turnovers through 19 games. He ranks second in the MAC 28th nationally in assist/turnover ratio. 
• Averaging 10.8 turnovers per game, Miami ranks second the MAC in fewest turnovers and ranks 22nd nationally. Miami has committed fewer turnovers than its opponent in 12 of its 20 games and the same number in four games this season. The RedHawks have had 10 or fewer turnovers in 11 of their 20 games, including a season-low four against Mount St. Joseph on Dec. 11.

UP NEXT: Miami travels to Bowling Green for a 7 p.m. game on Tuesday, Mar. 2. The RedHawks round out the regular season at Akron at 7 p.m. on Friday, Mar. 5.

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