RedHawks bag third straight road win
KALAMAZOO, MI -- Mekhi Lairy and Delonte Brown scored 20 points apiece to lead Miami past Western Michigan 74-66 Thursday at University Arena.
It was the RedHawks third straight . . .
Led by B. Artis White (20 points) and Titus Wright (10 points, 10 rebounds), the Broncos owned leads for over 25 minutes and led 59-58 after a Wright basket inside at 5:49. It was the Broncos fifth and final lead of the second half.
REDHAWKS RESPOND
Lairy drained a pair of free throws at the other end, and Isaiah Coleman-Lands followed with a triple. Elijah McNamara’s layup at 3:38 capped off a run that put MU in front to stay. Lairy and Brown added seven of Miami’s final nine points after that to cement the victory.
Joining Lairy and Brown in double figures for MU was Elijah McNamara. He came off the bench to hit five-of-seven shots while scoring 10 points. They came in handy as Western Michigan was able to hold Dae Dae Grant scoreless. The sophomore leads MU with a 14.8 ppg. average.
REBOUNDING, TURNOVERS
Overall, Miami 40.9 percent from the field and 38.5 percent outside the arc. However, a 41-31 rebounding advantage enabled the RedHawks to own one more field goal and two more treys over a CMU team that shot 47.3 percent overall and 34.8 percent from long distance. Miami also benefited from a 20-13 edge in points off turnovers.
FIRST HALF
Western Michigan broke a 5-5 tie and held the lead for much of the first half. Lee’s put-back at 5:46 left the hosts in front, 33-22. Miami, however, put together a 15-0 rally, with McNamara providing six points along the way.
The RedHawks were up by four when Lee cashed in with an “and-one” just before intermission. When play resumed, Lee hit a jumper to give WMU the first of its five second half leads. Miami had four more leads and the game was tied twice during the final stanza.