By Rick Jabot

GAME NOTES

https://miamiredhawks.com/documents/2023/12/8/2023-24_mbk_Davidson.pdf

THIS SATURDAY: The RedHawks continue their four-game road trip Saturday, traveling to take on Davidson at 2 p.m. The game will take place at Belk Arena and can be streamed on ESPN+.

THE SERIES WITH THE WILDCATS: Saturday will be the sixth all-time meeting between the RedHawks and Wildcats. The Red and White lead the series 3-2. The two teams last faced off with each other on Feb. 19, 1990, an 89-57 Miami victory in Oxford.

ABOUT DAVIDSON: The Davidson College men’s basketball team put up a 16-16 (8-10 Atlantic 10) record this past season. Head coach Matt McKillop enters his second season with the Wildcats after taking over the reins from his father in June 2022.  McKillop previously served as a longtime assistant coach and left his mark as a player for the Wildcats as well. His father is Bob McKillop, who served as the head coach of Davidson for 33 years. The 2023-24 Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll has the Wildcats projected to finish 12th.

This season, David Skogman leads the Wildcats’ offense in scoring with 13.1 points per game. Grant Huffman holds the team-high in assists (5.2 per game). Bailey Reed leads the team in rebounding (5.7 per contest). Sean Logan is averaging the most blocks (0.89) on the team. Angelo Brizzi has racked up the most steals with 2.11 per contest.

Huffman, who returns for his senior year at Davidson, was named to the 2023-24 Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Defensive Team this fall. He is the first player in Davidson’s preseason or postseason history to earn A-10 All-Defensive team honors. Huffman finished last season among statistial leaders in conference play with 3.6 assists (11th overall), 2.3 assist/turnover ratio (third overall) and 1.3 steals (14th overall). He also added double-figures in scoring on 16 different occasions.

UP NEXT: The RedHawks close out their road trip against Wright State on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m.

RECENT PLAY: The Miami University men’s basketball team fell in non-conference action at Ohio State Wednesday by a score of 84-64. Jaquel Morris posted his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the RedHawks (4-4).

HUNTER GAMES: In his first eight games with Miami, graduate transfer Darweshi Hunter has totaled 109 points and has knocked down 41.9% of his shots from the field. Hunter has recorded 18 three-point field goals (fifth in the MAC) on 39.1% shooting. His 2.25 threes per game currently stands at fifth in the MAC.

MORRIS MADNESS: Sophomore Jaquel Morris ranks 83rd nationally and fifth in the MAC in blocks per game (1.62). This season, Morris finds himself with a total of 13 blocks (fifth in the MAC). So far, Morris has averaged 8.5 points (fourth on the team), 6.0 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 1.6 assists and 0.4 steals. Last season, Morris recorded an average of 1.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 0.9 blocks, 0.8 assists and 0.3 steals a game.

THREE-POINT BARRAGE: Miami has shot at least 50% from the three-point line in both of its last two games. Versus Ohio State, the RedHawks knocked down 58.3% of their shots from beyond the arc (7-of-12). The Red and White hit a season-high 13 triples in a win last weekend at Marshall (13-of-26, 50%). The last time the Red and White made more than 13 threes was against Calumet College in December 2022. The RedHawks knocked down 16 shots versus the Crimson Wave that day (16-of-27, 59%).

FRESHMEN IMPACT: Miami’s 2023-24 roster is one of the youngest Division I teams in the country. The RedHawks have an average age of 20.07 across the entire team.

This season, Miami’s freshmen have totaled 226 of 566 total points scored in the first eight games played.

Mekhi Cooper is currently averaging 8.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.7 steals and leads the RedHawks in assists (2.7 apg). Cooper is currently third in scoring average (62 total). Cooper led Miami with two steals (career-high) in the first game of the season against Evansville. Against Spalding, he notched a career-high in rebounds (5). Most recently, he led Miami with a career-high 17 points against Marshall.

Eian Elmer has averaged 4.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 0.4 blocks, 0.3 steals and 0.1 assists this year for Miami. On the season, Elmer led the RedHawks in rebounding against Evansville (seven rebounds), St. Bonaventure (five) and Spalding (nine). He also led the team in blocks versus Evansville.

Evan Ipsaro has put up 9.0 points, 2.6 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. He scored the most points for Miami against Eastern Illinois with a career-high 18. Ipsaro led the team with five assists (career-high) against St. Bonaventure, and two steals versus Evansville (career-high). He also added a career-high five rebounds against Ohio State.

Jackson Kotecki has totaled an average of 5.9 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.5 blocks, 0.3 steals and 0.3 assists. Kotecki led the RedHawks with a career-high in points (19) and blocks (2) versus Spalding.

Reece Potter returned to action against Ohio State this past Wednesday, recording six points for Miami. This was Potter’s first apperance since the season opener against Evansville.

THE BRADLEY DEAN STORY: Bradley Dean sat down with MiamiRedHawks.com to discuss what drew him to join Miami Men’s Basketball when the D2CCA All-American and SAC Player of the Year entered the transfer portal this offseason looking for a Division I opportunity on the hardwood. Check out the newest feature story here!

MIAMI CLASSIC: The RedHawks built some early momentum with an undefeated home weekend in the Miami Classic this November. Bryce Bultman (MVP), Evan Ipsaro and Darweshi Hunter were named to the All-Tournament team after averaging double figures as Miami posted wins over Coppin State (76-48) and Eastern Illinois (76-64).

FRESH ON THE SCENE: Bryce Bultman is a guard from McKendree University where he averaged 15.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists. In his final year with McKendree, Bultman earned Unanimous First Team All-GLVC, NABC All District All-Midwest District First Team and D2CAA First Team All-Region.

Bradley Dean is a guard from the University of Virginia College at Wise. During his tenure he averaged 14.8 points, 3.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds. In his last campaign with the team, Dean was named a member of the D2CCA All-Southeast Region First Team, he was a D2CCA All-American Honorable Mention and earned NABC Second Team Southeast All-District. He also was named the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Player of the Year and made First Team All-SAC.

Darweshi Hunter is a guard from Northern Illinois University. While attending he averaged 6.4 pts, 2.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists with the Huskies. Prior to Northern Illinois, Hunter attended both Weber State and Central State (division II). While attending Central State, Hunter was named to the Division II Conference Commissioners Associations (D2CCA), All-South Region First Team and All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) First Team. He also earned SIAC Freshman of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.

COURTESY MIAMI ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS