Saturday, February 19, 2000
Miami must start making its move
RedHawks stuck on .500 as tourney looms
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Charlie Coles figures this is the point where his Miami University basketball team defines its season.
“We can either be the kind of team that surprises somebody in the tournament, or we can be the kind that ends up how everyone predicted,” he said.
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MIAMI at BALL ST.
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• When: 1p.m. today
• Where: University Arena (11,500), Muncie, Ind.
• Records: Miami 11-11 (7-7 Mid-American Conference); BSU 16-8 (8-7)
• TV: None
• Radio: WCKY-AM (1360), WMOH-AM (1450), WFMG-FM (101.3).
BY THE NUMBERS
›5: Number of times in a row Miami has beaten Ball State
• 27: Number of points Anthony Taylor needs to become the 27th player in Miami history to score 1,000 points
• 1-3: Miami's record in February
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The RedHawks enter today's game at Ball State as a perfectly average team — 11-11 overall, 7-7 in the Mid-American Conference. The RedHawks have had some big wins and some bad losses.
“I'm not disappointed with the way the season's gone,” Coles said. “I've been disappointed with individual games and stretches of the games, but overall I knew this was the kind of season it would be.
“It's critical how we do from here on out, because we're getting ready to play when it's one-and-out.”
The RedHawks have four games left in the regular season: today, at Ohio Monday, Marshall at home Wednesday, and at Buffalo March 8.
Miami is in eighth place in the MAC. That's critical, because the No.8 seed in the MAC tournament plays host to the No.9 seed.
“We want to get that home game,” Coles said.
Only Central Michigan (2-13) and Buffalo (3-12) are mathematically eliminated from earning a top-eight seed.
Miami probably has to at least split its last four games to stay in the top eight.
The RedHawks have had a week off since losing to Bowling Green 66-60. But the team is so banged up that the full squad practiced only one day.
Rob Mestas (knee), Rich Allendorf (knee), Mike Ensminger (back), Jason Grunkemeyer (back) and Brian Edwards (side) all missed time this week.
All but Allendorf are likely to play today.
Miami beat Ball State 86-84 in triple overtime Jan.12. The Cardinals (16-8, 8-7) come off a 66-61 loss at Toledo.
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