BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
When Charlie Coles wrote the starting lineup on the blackboard before Miami University's first exhibition game, Anthony Taylor kept expecting to see his name added to the list.
It never was.
"I was shocked," Taylor said. "Really shocked."
Taylor will be on the bench again tonight when Miami opens its home schedule against No. 18 Tennessee at Millett Hall.
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TENNESSEE at MIAMI
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When: 7 p.m. today
Where: Millett Hall (9,200), Oxford, Ohio
Records: MU 1-0, UT 2-1
TV: Fox Sports South (Telstar 5, transponder 13)
Radio: WCKY-AM (1360), WMOH-AM (1450), WFMG-FM (101.3)
BY THE NUMBERS
8: Number of consecutive home openers Miami has won.
.+9: Tennessee's average rebounding margin this season.
203: Games since Miami has had six players score in double figures.
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Taylor, a 6-foot-1 junior, had started all 29 games as a sophomore and was the team's third-leading scorer at 12.4 points a game.
But, with the return of point guard Rob Mestas, Damon Frierson went back to off guard and Taylor went to the bench. Taylor isn't comfortable with all this yet.
"It feels different," he said. "It's an adjustment. I'd love to start, but it's not my decision. It's coach's decision, and he thinks this is best for team chemistry."
Coles will start Mestas and Frierson at guards and Wally Szczerbiak, Refiloe Lethunya and John Estick inside.
"This isn't a permanent thing," Coles said. "But I don't think we can go with a small lineup at the start."
To start Taylor, Miami would have to go with a three-guard offense, putting the 6-8 Lethunya on bench.
"There are several games where we'll do that," Coles said. Taylor came off the bench to score nine points against Notre Dame in Miami's opener. Coles is counting on Taylor and transfers Jason Stewart and Jason Grunkemeyer to give Miami a scoring lift off the bench.
"That's something we didn't have last year," Taylor said. Coles compares Taylor's role to the one Darnell Burton filled for the University of Cincinnati a few years ago. Burton was UC's best outside scorer his junior and senior years but he rarely started.
"I thought that was great coaching," Coles said. "It's hard to find kids who have the attitude to play that role. I think the lineup we're starting is a good one.
"Then we can adjust as the game goes on."
Coles wants "instant offense" from Taylor and Co.
"He's talks to me all the time about that," Taylor said. "He tells me he wants me to come in and be aggressive."
Taylor was named the team's most improved player last year. He is among the best athletes on the Miami roster, quick with a 31-inch vertical leap. Last year, he made 37.5 percent from three-point range.
He is a streaky player. When he was on last year, he was really on. He scored 20 points or more five times, including a career-high 27 twice.
Taylor only had four points against Tennessee in last year's 75-74 loss, but he played one of his better all-round games. He had seven rebounds and four assists.
That kind of production off the bench tonight could help get Miami over the hump against a good Tennessee team.
"They're very talented," Coles said. "They have a chance to be a real good team. I don't know how good, but they're talented."
After last year - when UT needed a controversial last-second shot to win in Knoxville - Miami has no hope at sneaking up on the Vols. Tennessee's star is sophomore point guard Tony Harris. Harris is super quick. He leads the Vols with a 15.3 scoring average. Miami is fortunate to have Mestas to match up with him.
The Vols have four players averaging in doubles figure. Isiah Victor, an active 6-9 presence inside, could present Miami with matchup problems.
Tennessee also has good depth. Last year, teams with depth could wear Miami down. Now, with players like Taylor on the bench, that 's not true. So he's working on this substitute thing.
"I can't be negative about this," he said. "I've just got to go out and play hard and help us win."
