Good start goes bad again for RedHawks

Miami builds 12-point early lead against visiting Flyers but can’t hold it, much like the loss at Kentucky.

Jim Noelker/Miami University hosted the University of Dayton Tuesday night at Millett Hall in Oxford.

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 8:29 AM Thursday, December 3, 2009

OXFORD — The Miami University basketball team had a choice at the end of Wednesday night’s game.

The Flyers had a 61-58 lead. The RedHawks, following a timeout with 26 seconds on the clock, had the ball.

First choice: Try for a 3-point basket which would tie the game.

Second choice: Try for a quick two-point shot, then foul the Flyers quickly and put them on the line for the 1-and-1 bonus. If the Flyers miss one or both free throws, a two-point basket ties or wins the game. If the Flyers make both foul shots, a 3-point basket still ties the game.

Senior guard Kenny Hayes went for Option No. 2, but he missed a driving shot with 12 seconds left. Dayton rebounded, made six straight free throws and won 65-58.

“I kinda cringed when he went in there,” Miami coach Charlie Coles said of Hayes’ drive under the basket.

Coles said he would have preferred to have seen a 2-point shot taken earlier in the possession. But he added that it’s tough for the players on the court when there is limited time to discuss the options.

“I don’t fault the players for that,” Coles said.

A good start  gone bad

So what happened to the early momentum that allowed Miami to build an 18-6 lead midway through the first half against Dayton?

The same thing happened at Kentucky when Miami led by 18 points in the first half but led by only three at halftime, 39-36.

Good teams usually have an answer.

“Obviously we got off to a good start,” Coles said of Wednesday’s game, which was played before a Millett Hall crwod of 4,820. “They tightened up on us (on defense) and it took us the whole rest of the first half and part of the second half to adjust. Then we started playing hard again.

“I thought we had chances,” Coles said. “We had a couple open shots that didn’t go and there were some offensive rebounds we didn’t get.”

The most painful missed opportunity came with 4:04 remaining. Dayton had a six-point lead but missed two free throws. But Miami could not get the rebound. Chris Wright got it for the Flyers and scored.

That was big because Miami scored nine of the next 11 points. Without Wright’s putback, the RedHawks might have been able to regain the lead.

Foul from  the foul line

Another reason Miami squandered its 12-point lead in the first half was its foul shooting.

“We’ve got to his some free throws,” Coles said.

The RedHawks went 2-for-10 from the line over the first 20 minutes. During a 15-minute span they missed eight in a row, including the front ends of two 1-and-1 bonus free throws.

“We can’t do that,” Coles said. “That’s the difference between a winning team, that night, and a losing team.”

“Free throws are a huge part of the game,” said Miami junior Rodney Haddix II, who made 4-of-5 from the line. “That’s eight points right there. Free throws are free. You’ve got to hit those.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.

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