Sunday, January 02, 2000
Miami faces 'very good' Kent
17-game home winning streak on line today
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Charlie Coles took a ride between practices Saturday. He almost didn't come back.
“California looked appealing,” he said. “But you can run, but you can't hide.”
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KENT at MIAMI
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• When: 7 p.m. today
• Where: Millett Hall (9,200)
• Records: MU 4-4, Kent 8-1
• TV: None
• Radio: WCKY-AM (1360), WMOH-AM (1450), WFMG-FM (101.3)
BY THE NUMBERS
• 8.2: Number of fewer rebounds a game than its opponents Miami is averaging
• 17: Number of games in a row Miami has won at home
• 81.7: Number of points a game Kent is averaging
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So Coles returned and put his Miami University basketball team through a workout in an effort to get ready for the Mid-American Conference opener tonight at 7 against Kent.
The reason Coles thought about running is Kent comes in 8-1. The only loss was by two points to Michigan in Ann Arbor. Kent returns just about everyone from the team that beat Miami 49-43 in the MAC Tournament final last season.
“Kent is very good,” Coles said. “Right now, they're as good as anyone in our league.”
The MAC is very good overall. Ten of 13 teams are at .500 or better. Kent was picked to finish second in the MAC East and second overall. Miami was picked sixth in the East.
“Man, the league is good,” Coles said. “Our problem is the teams we have a chance to beat we play on the road.”
The Kent game is in Millett Hall, where the RedHawks have won 17 straight. Miami is clearly a different team at home. The RedHawks beat Xavier by nine at Millett and Notre Dame by 14.
Miami's last outing — a 78-70 loss to Dayton — gave the RedHawks plenty to work on. The Flyers outrebounded Miami 46-14.
“Twenty years ago, we probably would have gotten off the bus, put on practice uniforms and worked on rebounding for a couple of hours,” Coles said. “But I don't think that would help this team.”
Coles instead has worked on rebuilding the RedHawks confidence.
“I think we have some tal ent,” he said. “I'm trying to convince our guys that we do.”
The bulk of Miami's talent is perimeter players. That's led to the rebounding problems. The RedHawks often play four guards — Rob Mestas, Anthony Taylor, Jason Grunkemeyer and Jason Stewart — at the same time.
Another problem has been a back injury to Mike Ensminger, who is probably the team's best rebounder.
Second and third shots cost Miami the game against Dayton. The Flyers shot 43 percent but they scored on 70 percent of their possessions.
“That's an incredible stat,” Coles said.
Kent is not huge, the Golden Flashes have only one starter taller than 6-foot-8.
The Golden Flashes have four players who average in double figures and a fifth who averages 9.8.
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