By Mark Schmetzer
Enquirer contributor

Charlie Coles' first emotion after his Miami basketball team escaped with a 66-60 Mid-American Conference win over Bowling Green Wednesday at Millett Hall was relief.

The RedHawks, who blew an 11-point second-half lead in an overtime loss at Ohio on Monday, gave up most of a 17-point second-half lead to the Falcons before holding on for the victory.

The RedHawks (11-7, 7-3) also snapped a five-game losing streak against Bowling Green with their first win over the Falcons in Oxford in almost five years. Miami had lost three in a row at home to Bowling Green (9-11, 5-5) since Jan. 28, 1999.

"I told (Falcons coach Dan Dakich) after the game that I really wanted that one, because I didn't know when we would get one again," Coles said.

Freshman Monty St. Clair led Miami with a career-high 16 points, making three 3-pointers in five attempts. Juby Johnson added 12 points despite going only 4-for-14 from the field, including 1-for-5 on 3-pointers."We knew St. Clair was a good shooter," Dakich said.

"When Monty's hitting his shots, that opens up a lot for us," Johnson said. "We can get guys open on the low post. It works out well for us."

The RedHawks led by as many as 17 points, 44-27, on two Danny Horace free throws with 13:27 left in the game. But BG fought back and a Ron Lewis 3-pointer with 55.2 seconds left cut the RedHawks' lead to 63-60.

Chet Mason, who missed two free throws with 1:59 left, sank two with 28 seconds left and Horace added one to hold off the Falcons.

Miami hosts Toledo Saturday.

Bowling Green	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Reimold	29	2	6	1	1	4	0	5	2	5
Lefeld	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Netter	40	10	17	1	4	7	0	2	2	21
Lewis	30	8	17	4	4	6	1	3	0	25
Wright	40	1	8	1	2	7	5	5	4	3
Fitch	15	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	1	0
Almanson	17	0	1	0	0	2	1	3	0	0
Hobson	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0
Montgomery	13	2	5	2	3	5	0	1	0	6
Eyink	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	1	0
Totals	200	23	54	9	14	33	7	27	11	60

Team rebounds - 0.

Miami	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Seals	21	2	6	4	5	3	1	1	2	8
St. Clair	30	6	10	1	1	3	0	3	0	16
Hausfeld	15	1	3	1	2	0	3	5	0	4
Mason	29	1	2	5	8	8	4	2	4	7
Johnson	39	4	14	3	4	5	2	2	0	12
Vandersluis	6	1	2	2	2	3	0	0	0	5
Schenke	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0
Hatcher	16	0	5	0	0	0	1	0	2	0
Peavy	11	1	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	3
Horace	30	2	5	7	11	8	0	1	1	11
Totals	200	18	49	23	33	37	12	15	9	66

Team rebounds - 6.

Bowling Green	18	42	- 60
Miami	25	41	- 66

3-pointers - BG 5-14 (Reimold 0-1, Lewis 5-9, Wright 0-2, Montgomery 0-2), Miami 7-22 (Seals 0-1, St. Clair 3-5, Hausfeld 1-3, Johnson 1-5, Vandersluis 1-1, Hatcher 0-3, Peavy 1-2, Horace 0-2). Technicals - BG: Reimold. Officials - Randy Drury, Dan Fouser, Rodney Chamberlain. Att-3,526.

Miami 66, Bowling Green 60