By Mark Schmetzer
Enquirer contributor

OXFORD - When Miami turned an 11-point halftime lead into a 28-point win over Eastern Michigan two weeks ago, many saw it as a sign that the RedHawks were developing a killer instinct.

But mishandling double-digit second-half leads twice this week indicates they still need some work.

Miami squandered an 11-point lead in an overtime loss at Ohio on Monday. The RedHawks also let Bowling Green cut a 17-point deficit to three before they escaped with a 66-60 win Wednesday.

"We feel like we have trouble in that area," senior guard Juby Johnson said. "When we get a team down, we've got to learn how to bury them. It's coming, though. We are capable of that.

"In the past, like last year, we probably would've let that slip away. This year, we managed to keep the lead."

Said Miami coach Charlie Coles: "It's tough in this league, because coaches never let you rest, and (Bowling Green coach Dan Dakich) is really good at it. He has his guys playing hard. If we had been at home against Ohio, we would have won that game. If we had been on the road against Bowling Green, we might have lost this game.

"We're not good free throw shooters," Coles added. "We need to learn how to put a team away."

Miami (11-7, 7-3), which owns second place in the Mid-American Conference East Division, might not get to practice its work with big leads in today's 2 p.m. MAC game against Toledo at Millett Hall. The Rockets (15-4, 9-2) will try to extend their lead over the RedHawks in the race for the No. 3 seed in the MAC Tournament. The top three seeds go to the two division champions and the second-place team with the best record. The top three seeded teams earn first-round byes and direct trips to the quarterfinals. The No. 4 seed is one of five scheduled to host a first-round game. Today's game is the only one between the two teams this season, which cranks up the intensity level a notch, since head-to-head competition is the first tiebreaker if they finish with the same conference records.

"We're trying to stay as close as we can to Western Michigan, and our goal is to win the conference," Toledo coach Stan Joplin said. "It's a big game for us because we could put some distance between us and Miami, and we would also hold the tiebreaker with them."

The Rockets weren't picked to finish among the top three teams in a preseason poll of the MAC media, but despite the presence of two true freshmen, one redshirt freshman and a sophomore in the starting lineup, they've won six of their last seven games to open a 2 1/2-game lead over third-place Ball State in the West. Miami leads three teams by three games in the East.

Toledo's inexperience is offset by the contributions of senior guard Keith Triplett, who is second in the conference in scoring with an average of 19.8 points a game. Despite that, Joplin is concerned with how his young team will handle Miami's patient half-court offense.

"They do a very good job defensively and they don't beat themselves," Joplin said. "We're going to have to execute our offense and take care of the basketball. We'll also have to be very patient on defense, because they go backdoor and use most of the shot clock."

Miami vs. Toledo

Tipoff: 2 p.m. today, Millett Hall (9,200), Oxford.

Records: Miami 11-7 (7-3 Mid-American Conference), Toledo 15-4 (9-2).

Radio: WCKY-AM (1360), WMOH-AM (1450).

Line: Miami by 3 1/2

Series: Miami leads 60-47.

TOLEDO

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
F. Valencia	Fr.	6-5	5.9
Allen Pinson	Fr.	6-10	5.9
Justin Ingram	Fr.	6-2	10.2
Sammy Villegas	So.	6-6	13.5
Keith Triplett	Sr.	6-3	19.8

Coach: Stan Joplin (132-92, eighth season; same overall).

MIAMI

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Chet Mason	Jr.	6-4	10.7
Josh Hausfeld	So.	6-3	7.6
Juby Johnson	Sr.	6-5	15.1
Monty St. Clair	Fr.	6-9	3.4
Danny Horace	Jr.	6-6	9.3
	OR
Gene Seals	Sr.	6-6	5.9

Coach: Charlie Coles (131-100, eighth season; 223-184 overall).