By Mark Schmetzer
Enquirer contributor

OXFORD - Chalk up another victim for Miami's numbing offense and stifling defense. The RedHawks held Marshall to season lows in field goals, field goal attempts and points and beat the Thundering Herd 69-49 Saturday at Millett Hall.

"We've had some pretty good defensive games this year," said Miami junior forward Juby Johnson, who scored a game-high 21 points while helping limit Marshall junior Ronald Blackshear to 13, well below his 25.1 average in Mid-American Conference games. "Actually, I think we were off a little bit today."

Added Thundering Herd coach Greg White: "Obviously, we didn't produce at all offensively. We couldn't buy shots.

"It's important when you play a team with that type of offense to make them come from behind, so they have to play a little bit more up-tempo. That style can be frustrating if you're down double figures."

The RedHawks (10-11, 8-4) moved within one game of first place as MAC East-leading Kent State lost 74-71 at Ohio.

Sophomore Danny Horace added 14 points and a game-high seven rebounds for Miami, which grabbed almost as many defensive rebounds (21) as Marshall had overall (a season low-matching 22). The RedHawks totaled 35 rebounds.

"We were trying to stop their fast break," Horace said. "They're a high-scoring team, and we wanted to cut down on their transition game."

Marshall (11-11, 7-7) hoped to take an early lead and force Miami out of its patient offense, but freshman Josh Hausfeld's 3-pointer gave the RedHawks a 9-6 lead with 16:19 left in the first half, and the Thundering Herd didn't come closer.

Miami senior forward Larry Drake, who wasn't available for five games in January while completing a class from the previous grading period, set season highs with 24 minutes and five points while giving Johnson a break from guarding Blackshear, the MAC East Player of the Week. Drake scored all of his points in the RedHawks' 7-2 run before halftime.

"Larry's had a rough go the last year and a half," Miami coach Charlie Coles said. "He gives us fresh legs. He hasn't played a lot, so he should be fresh."

NOTES: At halftime, Miami honored the six newest members of its Cradle of Coaches Association: former volleyball coach Peggy Bradley-Doppes, New York Giants defensive line coach Ron Marcin, former Hamilton High School basketball coach Marvin McCollum (posthumously), DePauw University football coach Nick Mourouzis, Ohio high school basketball coach Jim Rose and Florida football coach Ron Zook. ... Miami visits Akron on Thursday and Buffalo on Saturday before returning home to meet West Division-leading Northern Illinois on Feb.25.

Marshall	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Black	34	3	6	3	3	3	2	5	0	9
Armpalu	19	3	5	1	2	3	0	1	1	7
Wright	28	2	4	2	2	3	0	2	0	6
Hamilton	30	1	2	0	0	2	3	4	2	2
Blackshear	34	4	14	4	5	5	3	2	5	13
Dixon	1	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	2
Bunch	7	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Dawn	21	1	3	2	2	0	0	2	1	5
Dressel	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Patton	24	2	2	1	2	1	0	3	0	5
Carter	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	200	17	39	13	16	22	8	19	10	49

Team rebounds - 4.

Miami	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Reed	7	1	3	0	0	1	4	1	1	3
Horace	30	5	13	3	4	7	2	3	0	14
Hausfeld	17	3	5	0	0	2	3	3	0	9
Mason	39	3	6	0	0	3	6	0	3	6
Johnson	38	6	13	6	6	6	0	1	1	21
Jameson	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Drake	24	2	4	0	0	5	0	3	1	5
Williams	0+	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	1
Morningstar	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Seals	33	1	6	3	4	6	0	4	1	5
VanderSluis	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Schenke	8	1	1	1	2	1	2	3	0	3
Hatcher	1	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	2
Totals	200	23	53	14	18	35	17	18	7	69

Team rebounds - 3.

Marshall	23	26	-49
Miami	36	33	-69

3-pointers - Mar. 2-14 (Black 0-1, Wright 0-2, Blackshear 1-6, Bunch 0-1, Dawn 1-3), MU 9-22 (Reed 1-1, Horace 1-3, Hausfeld 3-4, Mason 0-2, Johnson 3-7, Drake 1-3, Seals 0-1, VanderSluis 0-1). Technicals - None. Officials - Skiles, Carstensen, LaRocca. Attendance - 2,523.