Tue, Feb 22, 2022
OXFORD, Ohio— The Miami men’s basketball team erased a double-digit deficit late in the second half, but Buffalo scored to break a tie with less than four seconds remaining and the Bulls escaped with an 86-84 win over Miami Tuesday night.
Dae Dae Grant and Mekhi Lairy scored 22 points apiece to lead the RedHawks (12-15, 6-10 MAC), while Kamari Williams notched his first career double-double (11 points, 12 rebounds) for the Red and White. James Beck added a season-high 13 points, with 11 coming in the first half. Josh Mballa had 23 points and 17 rebounds to help Buffalo (17-8, 11-4 MAC) extend its winning streak to seven games.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After Buffalo went up 21-7 early, the RedHawks battled back. A pair of Williams offensive rebounds set up Grant’s go-ahead triple, capping a 19-4 run and giving Miami its first lead at 28-27.
- The Bulls responded with a 10-2 run late in the half and took a 45-40 advantage into the locker room.
- Although Miami trailed 72-62 with less than eight minutes remaining, the RedHawks rattled off a 14-4 spurt to knot the score at 76-all.
- Lairy gave Miami its first lead of the second half at 81-80 with 2:25 remaining, burying a deep three-pointer that just beat the shot clock.
- Lairy drained a long game-tying triple with 27.5 seconds left, but the Bulls ran down the clock and managed to find the game-winning shot in the final seconds. After a timeout, Grant got off a three-pointer at the buzzer for Miami that just missed.
NOTES
- Dalonte Brown moved into seventh place on Miami’s all-time scoring list, passing Landon Hackim (1,493 points). Brown now has 1,498 career points.
- Lairy (1,141 career points) is now 30th in Miami scoring history.
- Williams had 10 rebounds by halftime, eclipsing his previous career high (eight).
- Lairy had 18 points after halftime, with Grant adding 17 points in the period.
- Miami outscored Buffalo 21-0 in first-half bench points and 26-7 for the game.
UP NEXT:
Miami returns to action Thursday, Feb. 24 for a home game versus Central Michigan. Tip time at Millett Hall is set for 7 p.m.
COURTESY MIAMI ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
