RedHawks get offensive in win

Photos: 2009 Miami basketball

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Nick Graham/Miami senior Kenny Hayes puts up a jumper during their exhibition game against California University Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 at Millet Hall in Oxford, Ohio. The Redhawks defeated the Vulcans 82-65.

Hot shooting contributes to 82-65 win over Cal (Pa.) in exhibition.

By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 8:48 AM Monday, November 2, 2009

OXFORD — Fans who prefer baskets over blocked shots should like the newest edition of the Miami University men’s basketball team.

“Offensively, I like this team better (than last year’s team),” Miami coach Charlie Coles said after watching his RedHawks win 82-65 over California University (Pa.) in their exhibition opener Sunday, Nov. 1, at Millett Hall.

“Defensively, I don’t like it as much,” he said. “That’s our Achilles’ heel. We have to get better on defense.”

Miami senior point guard Kenny Hayes, who missed most of last season with a wrist injury, scored 22 points and dished out seven assists .

“I was nervous at first,” said Hayes, who made only 2-of-7 shots in the first half but went 5-for-5 in the second. “It’s been a while since I’ve played in a real game.”

Coles said he never has to worry about Hayes not going all out all the time.

“Kenny’s a hard worker,” he said. “Other than his loved ones, basketball is his whole life.”

Junior guard Rodney Haddix also had a big day for Miami, scoring 20 points while drilling 5-of-5 shots from the 3-point arc.

Coles said he didn’t like the way Miami played defense or rebounded on Sunday.

“But it gives us a starting point, and our guys are pretty hungry. We ended up shooting better,” said Coles, whose team made 40 percent of its field-goal attempts in the first half and 69.2 percent in the second half.

Coles said he is “looking for better shooting, more offense, more of a variety on offense” from his players this season.

“I still think we’ll be good in the half court,” he added, refusing to abandon his trademark offense, “because Kenny’s good in the half court, and so are Orlando (Williams) and Kramer (Soderberg). We have guards who can penetrate.”

Williams, a freshman guard from Princeton High School, scored eight points in only 10 minutes of playing time in the first half. Soderberg finished with nine points and four assists.

“It’ll take us a while (to play good defense),” Coles said, “because last year we had so many seniors. Scoring wise, there is no comparision. We’re really better at scoring.”

Miami will conclude its exhibition season next Sunday at home against Saginaw Valley State in a doubleheader. The Miami women’s team will play Tiffin at 1 p.m. and the men’s game will follow at 3:30.

The regular season begins for the RedHawks on Friday at Towson, to be followed three days later by a visit to Kentucky’s Rupp Arena.

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

»See a photo gallery from the win and gear up for the season at Journal-News.com/miami

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