KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Miami's first game without injured star Wally Szczerbiak was a disaster.
Western Michigan defeated the RedHawks 63-47 Monday night in the Mid-American Conference.
Junior Damon Frierson scored 20 points for the RedHawks (7-4, 1-2 MAC), who managed only 18 first-half points and had no other double-figure scorer.
Rashod Johnson had 22 points and four steals and Saddi Washington added 17 for the Broncos (9-3, 3-1 MAC).
Miami's total points were its fewest since a Jan. 10, 1996 loss to Toledo.
''I think we could have made it a little more exciting with Wally on the floor, but I'm not sure we could have beaten them,'' Miami coach Charlie Coles said. ''They're a very good team.''
Szczerbiak was leading Miami in scoring (24.5 points per game) and rebounding (6.9 per game) when he broke his wrist during the first half of Saturday's 86-65 victory at Central Michigan.
The junior forward from Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., was the nation's second-ranked scorer going into the weekend. Szczerbiak will be sidelined four to six weeks.
Miami committed 24 turnovers, 16 in the first half.
''It would have been a great game if we didn't have 24 turnovers,'' Coles said.
The RedHawks led 16-11 with 12:18 remaining in the first half, but were outscored by Western Michigan 17-2.
Miami's two points were free throws.
Western Michigan finished the first half with a 13-0 run to open a 28-18 halftime lead.
The RedHawks will return home for games against Eastern Michigan at 7 p.m. Thursday and Toledo on Saturday.
MIAMI (47)
fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
Lethunya 32 3-7 1-2 0-3 0 0 7
Ensminger 25 0-1 3-4 0-5 1 3 3
Locklier 28 2-3 3-3 1-3 4 2 7
Taylor 38 2-4 2-2 1-2 2 3 6
Frierson 40 6-13 5-7 0-4 2 3 20
Alexander 6 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Lackaff 5 0-2 0-0 2-2 0 0 0
Estick 22 2-3 0-0 0-7 0 5 4
Allendorf 4 0-1 0-0 0-1 0 0 0
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TOTALS 200 15-35 14-18 4-27 9 16 47
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Percentages: FG-.429, FT-.778. 3-Point Goals:
3-9, .333 (Lethunya 0-1, Frierson 3-6, Alexander
0-1, Lackaff 0-1). Team rebounds: 2. Blocked
shots: 2 (Ensminger, Locklier). Turnovers: 24
(Frierson 6, Estick 4, Taylor 4, Lethunya 3,
Alexander 2, Locklier 2, Allendorf, Ensminger,
Lackaff). Steals: 3 (Ensminger, Frierson, Taylor).
WESTERN MICH (63)
fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
Jackson 30 5-7 2-2 5-9 0 3 12
Toothman 33 0-2 0-0 2-4 4 1 0
Kimbrough 38 3-10 2-2 1-3 4 3 8
Johnson 30 8-15 3-4 1-3 2 4 22
Jones 7 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Washington 35 5-14 6-6 0-3 3 3 17
Bullock 17 2-7 0-0 0-0 0 0 4
Vantimmeren 10 0-0 0-2 2-4 0 0 0
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TOTALS 200 23-57 13-16 11-26 13 14 63
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Percentages: FG-.404, FT-.813. 3-Point Goals:
4-16, .250 (Kimbrough 0-1, Johnson 3-7, Jones
0-1, Washington 1-5, Bullock 0-2). Team rebounds:
1. Blocked shots: 2 (Jackson 2). Turnovers: 8
(Johnson 2, Washington 2, Bullock, Kimbrough,
Toothman, Vantimmeren). Steals: 12 (Johnson 4,
Bullock 2, Kimbrough 2, Jackson, Jones, Toothman,
Washington).
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Miami 19 28 - 47
Western Mich 28 35 - 63
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Technical fouls: None. A: 2,518. Officials:
Glenn Mayborg, Larry Schmackel, Mike Mckee.
Miami game coverage
Miami 81, Central Michigan 65 Jan. 4, 1998
Bowling Green 72, Miami 59 Dec. 30, 1997
Syracuse 72, Miami 53 Dec. 14, 1997
Miami 71, LaSalle 66 Dec. 13, 1997
Miami 80, Xavier 72 Dec. 10, 1997
Miami 85, Virginia Commonwealth 75 Dec. 7, 1997
Miami 102, IUPUI 75 Dec. 2, 1997
Miami 66, Wisconsin-Green Bay 46 Nov. 26, 1997
Miami 94, Dayton 86 Nov. 23, 1997
Tennessee 75, Miami 74 Nov. 18, 1997
