By Marisol Nicholson
MIAMI GAME NOTES
https://miamiredhawks.com/documents/2024/1/26/2023-24_mbk_Akron.pdf
AKRON GAME NOTES
https://miamiredhawks.com/documents/2024/1/26/AKRON_MBB_2023-24_at_Miami.pdf
THIS SATURDAY: The RedHawks host Akron Saturday, Jan. 27 at 1 p.m. The game will take place at Millett Hall and can be watched on ESPN+. Miami will be participating in Coaches vs. Cancer Suits And Sneakers Week this Saturday.
THE SERIES WITH THE ZIPS: Saturday will be the 70th all-time meeting between Miami and Akron. The Zips lead the series 37-32. The two teams last faced off on Jan. 24, 2023, a 73-68 Akron victory at James A. Rhodes Arena.
ABOUT AKRON: The University of Akron men’s basketball team recorded a 22-11 (13-5 Mid-American Conference) record this past season. Head coach John Groce enters his seventh season with the Zips after taking over the program on April 6, 2017. Coach Groce previously spent time leading Ohio University and the University of Illinois. This year, Akron was projected to finish in first place in the 2023-24 MAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Zips are currently 15-4 (7-0 MAC). Akron most recently defeated Ohio 67-58 at James A. Rhodes Arena.
This season, Akron is averaging 76.6 points per game on 47.1 percent shooting and have held their opponents to 65.5 points per game. The team also averages 14.2 assists and 36.2 rebounds in each game they play. Enrique Freeman leads the Zips’ offense in scoring (18.6). He also leads the team in rebounds (12.9) and blocks per game (1.6). Kaleb Thornton holds the team-high in assists (2.9). Defensively, Nate Johnson (dealing with injury) has averaged the most steals (1.3) per game.
UP NEXT: The RedHawks hit the road to face off with Kent State Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m.
TELEVISION: Saturday’s game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
RADIO: In its fifth year of its partnership with Van Wagner, the Miami Sports Network continues its coverage of Miami men’s basketball with a group of affiliates blanketing most of Southwest Ohio and Southeast Indiana. 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)
NEW FACES: The RedHawks boast seven freshmen, three sophomores, two juniors, a senior and two graduate students. Three of these players are finding a new home in Oxford after transferring to Miami University this season.
RECENT PLAY: The Miami University men’s basketball team fell to Central Michigan 71-55 Tuesday night. Darweshi Hunter led the RedHawks in scoring with 16 points, while Anderson Mirambeaux totaled 13 and Mekhi Cooper added 11.
THREE-POINT BARRAGE: Miami is currently ranked 36th in the country (first in the MAC) in three-point shooting percentage (37.3%). The RedHawks have shot at least 50% from the three-point line in three games this year. Against 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 at Marshall (13-of-26, 50%). Miami has two players in the top 25 of three-point shooting percentage in the MAC. The RedHawks also rank 19th in the country in three-point percentage defense (29.1%).
STRONG DEPTH: This season the RedHawks rank first in the MAC and 23rd in the country in bench points with an average of 29.37 per game.
FACILITATION: The Red and White currently rank first in the MAC and 63rd in the nation in assists per game (15.5). Miami also ranks 97th nationally and second in the MAC in assist/turnover ratio (1.29)
BULTMAN BOOST: Since the start of MAC play, Bryce Bultman is averaging 9.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.7 steals. Bultman led Miami in rebounds against Central Michigan (seven), Eastern Michigan (eight) and Toledo (11). He also recorded the most assists on the team versus Toledo (six) and Buffalo (six). He led the Red and White with two steals against Bowling Green.
MARVELOUS MIRAMBEAUX: This preseason, Anderson Mirambeaux was named a Second Team All-MAC player. He is currently averaging 13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.5 blocks and 0.1 steals. Mirambeaux is coming off the 2022-23 season where he earned Honorable Mention All-MAC after ranking 18th in the conference with a 14.2 scoring average. He was 10th in rebounds (5.7), 20th in assists (2.6), sixth in field goal percentage (54.2%), 16th in free throw percentage (76.4%) and seventh in blocks (0.9). He scored in double figures 24 times and recorded two double-doubles last season. Mirambeaux also had a career-high 27 points against Evansville in the first game he ever played for Miami.
HUNTER GAMES: In his first 19 games with Miami, graduate transfer Darweshi Hunter has totaled 240 points (team-high) and has knocked down 41.6% of his shots from the field. Hunter has recorded 39 three-point field goals (fifth in the MAC) on 36.8% shooting. His 2.1 threes per game is currently ranked at sixth in the MAC. This season, Hunter hit a dramatic 30-foot buzzer beater to lift Miami past Vermont. He recorded 17 points (tied game-high), one rebound and one assist versus the Catamounts. Against Ball State, Hunter hit a clutch three-pointer in the final second of regulation to force overtime. Miami went on to outscore the Cardinals 15-8 from there to claim a seven-point victory.
MORRIS MADNESS: Sophomore Jaquel Morris is currently a MAC leader in field goal percentage (71.4%). He is also tied at eighth in the MAC in blocks per game (1.1). This season, Morris finds himself with a total of 19 blocks (ninth in the MAC). So far, Morris has averaged 6.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.1 blocks 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. Morris recorded the first double-double of his career against Ohio State with 11 points and 10 rebounds earlier this year.
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 505 of 1,408 total points scored in 19 games played.
Mekhi Cooper is currently averaging 7.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.8 steals and is tied for the most assists on the team (2.8). Cooper led Miami with two steals (career-high) in the first game of the season against Evansville. Against Wilberforce, he notched a career-high in rebounds (10) and assists (eight). He also led Miami with a career-high 17 points against Marshall.
Eian Elmer has averaged 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.6 steals, 0.4 assists and 0.4 blocks this year for Miami. On the season, Elmer has led the RedHawks in rebounding on numerous occasions. Most recently, he put up a career-high 10 rebounds at Ball State. Elmer recorded the most steals of his career against Buffalo (four). He also totaled a career-high 23 points against Eastern Michigan.
Evan Ipsaro has put up 7.6 points, 2.5 assists, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game. He scored the most points for Miami against Eastern Illinois with a career-high 18. Ipsaro led the team with seven assists (career-high) against Western Michigan. He recorded a career-high two steals versus Evansville and Marshall. He also added a career-high five rebounds against Ohio State. He stands at ninth in the MAC in free throw percentage (82.9%).
Jackson Kotecki has totaled an average of 4.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, 0.3 blocks, 0.3 assists and 0.2 steals. Kotecki led the RedHawks with a career-high in points (19) and blocks (two) versus Spalding.
Reece Potter has averaged 6.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.3 blocks and 0.3 steals this season. He scored a career-high 17 points versus Bowling Green. He also recorded three blocks (career-high) against Wilberforce.
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. He has made his impact felt early on, as he currently tied for eighth place in the MAC with 1.3 steals per game. Check out the feature story here!
SHOWING OUT: The Miami University men’s basketball team recently rolled past Wilberforce 119-69 in non-conference action. Evan Ipsaro led Miami with 17 points, while six other RedHawks scored in double figures (first time since Nov. 29, 2022). Miami matched the second-most points scored in program history. This is the first time Miami has scored over 100 points since Nov. 13, 2021 against Lamar University (104-75). The last time Miami scored 119 points was against Wilberforce on Dec. 30, 2019. The RedHawks shot over 60% from the field for the first time since facing Ohio on Feb. 25, 2023. The Red and White also put up over 50 rebounds for the first time since taking on Defiance on Nov. 23, 2021.
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
