By Mark Schmetzer
Enquirer contributor

OXFORD - Going into their 74-46 Mid-American Conference victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday, the Miami RedHawks knew they were developing a reputation as a team that had problems handling success.

Miami's Nathan Peavy goes for two over Eastern Michigan's Craig Cashen. (Jeff Swinger photo)

They also knew the Eagles had displayed a talent for clawing back from double-digit deficits. They just hadn't been able to finish.

So when Miami took a 35-24 lead at halftime, the plan was simple.

"We wanted to punch them in the mouth," senior forward Gene Seals said. "If we got them down, we wanted to keep them down."

Junior guard Chet Mason scored eight points during a 12-2 Miami run in the first 5:15 of the second half that left the RedHawks with a 47-26 lead. Eventually, they won before 3,672 fans at Millett Hall.

Miami (9-6, 5-2) moved within a half-game of first-place Kent State in the MAC East Division. For the second time in five days, the Golden Flashes host the West Division leader when they take on Toledo today.

EMU (6-9, 1-6) suffered its fourth consecutive loss while going 0-for-7 on 3-pointers and shooting a season-low 54.5 percent (18-for-33) from the free throw line.

"Obviously, we didn't shoot the ball very well," EMU coach Jim Boone said. "We didn't shoot well on 3-pointers, and we didn't score many points outside the paint."

Miami's Juby Johnson gets hacked under the basket by Eastern Michigan's Craig Cashen. (Jeff Swinger photo)

The RedHawks downed EMU behind the efforts of Seals and freshman Monty St. Clair, who led a balanced Miami scoring attack that finished with four players in double figures. Seals scored 10 of his team-high 13 points in the first half. St. Clair added eight of his 11 in the first half.

Mason, who led both teams with 11 rebounds, recorded his fifth double-double in the last 11 games by scoring 11 points. Senior guard Juby Johnson also finished with 11 points.

Miami shot a season-high 82.8 percent (24-of-29) from the free throw line. The RedHawks extended their winning streak over EMU to eight. They haven't lost to the Eagles in Oxford since Jan. 24, 1996.

Miami also outscored EMU's bench 25-10, including 10-0 in the first half. Eagle junior JaQuan Hart, who had started just two games but was second on the team in scoring with a 12.6-point average, finished with two points. Six EMU substitutes combined for just one shot in the first half.

"Three things happened that were very, very important," Miami coach Charlie Coles said. "One, we played good perimeter defense the whole game, and we played good post defense some of the game. Two, for the first time all year in the second half, we extended the lead rather than let them cut into it. Three, Mason made some nice baskets in the second half."

Miami improved to 6-0 when scoring 70 or more points this season. The RedHawks have lost just twice in the past three years when scoring at least 70 points.

"We're going to try to do that," Coles said.

E. Mich.	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Jackson	18	0	1	0	0	2	1	3	3	0
Austin	37	4	11	7	14	2	2	2	3	15
Bowler	33	7	12	5	11	8	0	5	2	19
Ross	28	0	4	0	0	3	0	0	0	0
Cotrill	28	1	3	0	0	2	2	2	4	2
Hart	12	0	1	2	2	3	0	3	1	2
McElhinny	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Douglas	11	1	1	2	2	2	0	2	0	4
Cashen	18	0	3	2	2	4	0	2	2	2
Amatosero	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Redder	11	1	2	0	2	0	0	1	1	2
Totals	200	14	38	18	33	31	5	20	16	46

Team rebounds - 5.

Miami	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Seals	21	3	5	7	8	3	2	3	0	13
St. Clair	23	4	8	0	0	3	0	3	0	11
Hausfeld	32	1	3	0	0	0	1	2	0	3
Mason	29	4	7	3	4	11	2	3	5	11
Johnson	23	2	9	7	8	5	1	3	0	11
Penno	3	2	4	0	0	2	1	1	0	5
Ford	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
Jones	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
VanderSluis	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	0
Schenke	8	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0
Hatcher	15	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Peavy	11	4	6	0	1	2	0	2	0	8
Horace	23	1	5	7	8	4	1	3	2	9
Van Buskirk	7	0	0	0	0	1	0	4	0	0
Totals	200	22	52	24	29	35	9	27	8	74

Team rebounds - 3.

Eastern Michigan	24	22	-46
Miami	35	39	-74

3-pointers - EM 0-7 (Austin 0-3, Ross 0-1, Cotrill 0-1, Cashen 0-2), MU 6- 22 (Seals 0-1, St. Clair 3-6, Hausfeld 1-2, Mason 0-1, Johnson 0-3, Penno 1-3, Jones 1-1, Hatcher 0-2, Peavey 0-2, Horace 0-1). Technicals - None. Officials - Pescitelli, Forehand, Cronin. Attendance - 3,672.