Nike Sibande By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, OH -- It may have been theirs third game in five days, but the Miami RedHawks looked energized Saturday as they knocked off MAC East co-leader Bowling Green 73-55.
Junior Nike Sibande led Miami, hitting 7-of-13 for 24 points and grabbing 11 rebounds over 36 minutes.
Daeqwon Plowdon paced BGSU with . . .
OXFORD, OH -- It may have been theirs third game in five days, but the Miami RedHawks looked energized Saturday as they knocked off MAC East co-leader Bowling Green 73-55.
Junior Nike Sibande led Miami, hitting 7-of-13 for 24 points and grabbing 11 rebounds over 36 minutes.
Daeqwon Plowdon paced BGSU with . . .
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. . . a game-high 26 points. Seventeen of those points came in the second half, when Bowling Green scored a total of 19 points -- none after the 4:18 mark.
It was the second . . . straight win for MU, which lost at Kent State Tuesday and then bashed Central Michigan in Thursday's make-up of a previously postponed contest. Miami (12-17, 5-11 MAC) last won back-to-back games in late December.
It was the second . . . straight win for MU, which lost at Kent State Tuesday and then bashed Central Michigan in Thursday's make-up of a previously postponed contest. Miami (12-17, 5-11 MAC) last won back-to-back games in late December.
Mike Laster registered six points and four assists. (MVSmith/MRO) The RedHawks actually played Bowling Green (21-8, (12-4 MAC) tough in a Jan. 7 meeting at the Stroh Center. Miami led by 12 in the second half of that one, only to see the hosts come back for a 78-76 win.
"When we played BG earlier in the year, we controlled that game for 90 percent of the game, and we came up short," Miami head coach Jack Owens said., noting his team had their opportunities to win that contest. Some of those opportunities were at the foul line, and MU went a perfect 14-of-14 at the stripe this time around.
Saturday's rematch was played in front of a crowd honoring former Miami coach/player/administrator Darrell Hedric, who put 60 years in with MU in various capacities. The event brought in nice crowd, along with many former players, including former NBA standouts Wayne Embry and Ron Harper.
"It's great when you have a buzz and a crowd and the guys feed off of that," Owens said. "It was just a great atmosphere today."
"When we played BG earlier in the year, we controlled that game for 90 percent of the game, and we came up short," Miami head coach Jack Owens said., noting his team had their opportunities to win that contest. Some of those opportunities were at the foul line, and MU went a perfect 14-of-14 at the stripe this time around.
Saturday's rematch was played in front of a crowd honoring former Miami coach/player/administrator Darrell Hedric, who put 60 years in with MU in various capacities. The event brought in nice crowd, along with many former players, including former NBA standouts Wayne Embry and Ron Harper.
"It's great when you have a buzz and a crowd and the guys feed off of that," Owens said. "It was just a great atmosphere today."
Daeqwon Plowdon's game-high 26 points included 17 in the second half - a period when BG totaled 19 points. (MVSmith/MRO) Tipping off against an impressive backdrop, the current Miami squad rose to the occasion, quickly setting a tone by racing out to a 12-2 lead.
After a Falcon timeout, Bowling Green went on its own 12-2 run, knotting the score at 14-all.
Sibande's "and-one" got Miami going again and the hosts led by as many as nine points before BGSU twice forged ties. MU took a 38-36 advantage to intermission.
Plowdon asserted himself early in the second half, but Miami managed to keep a lead until the junior canned a trey at 11:08 to give the visitors their only lead of the day, 53-51. Bowling Green would score just two more points -- a pair of Justin Turner free throws -- the rest of the way.
Even with Plowden's 17 points in the period, BGSU connected on just 17.4 percent from the field after intermission. The Falcons were also 2-of-14 (14.3%) from outside the arc in the final stanza.
After a Falcon timeout, Bowling Green went on its own 12-2 run, knotting the score at 14-all.
Sibande's "and-one" got Miami going again and the hosts led by as many as nine points before BGSU twice forged ties. MU took a 38-36 advantage to intermission.
Plowdon asserted himself early in the second half, but Miami managed to keep a lead until the junior canned a trey at 11:08 to give the visitors their only lead of the day, 53-51. Bowling Green would score just two more points -- a pair of Justin Turner free throws -- the rest of the way.
Even with Plowden's 17 points in the period, BGSU connected on just 17.4 percent from the field after intermission. The Falcons were also 2-of-14 (14.3%) from outside the arc in the final stanza.
Myja White tips the ball away for one of 14 Bowling Green turnovers. (MVSmith/MRO) Miami, meanwhile, was effective enough. The RedHawks, hit 43.5 percent from the field on the day. They also enjoyed advantages in rebounds (40-29) and turnovers (9-14).
"We know we have not finished (some) games," Owens said. "Hopefully, this is not only a sign of how we finish this year, but how we transition into next year."
NOTES:
>> Asked about Sibande's productive performance," Owens said, "He's a hard worker. He's a good player. He's a guy that can impact games on both sides of the ball."
>> Joining Sibande in double figures for MU were Elijah McNamara and Dae Dae Grant with 10 apiece.
>> Plowden was the only Falcon player in double figures. He also had 11 rebounds.
"We know we have not finished (some) games," Owens said. "Hopefully, this is not only a sign of how we finish this year, but how we transition into next year."
NOTES:
>> Asked about Sibande's productive performance," Owens said, "He's a hard worker. He's a good player. He's a guy that can impact games on both sides of the ball."
>> Joining Sibande in double figures for MU were Elijah McNamara and Dae Dae Grant with 10 apiece.
>> Plowden was the only Falcon player in double figures. He also had 11 rebounds.
Dae Dae Grant drives against Marlon Sierra. (MVSmith/MRO) >> Next week's games will be very important for MAC seeding purposes. Bowling Green and Akron are tied for first in the East. Each of those teams owns a head-to-head win against the other.
>> With Northern Illinois (9-6 MAC) leading the West Division, Miami's five conference wins include victories over two of the MAC's top three teams.
>> All five Miami conference wins were on the home court. Its only road win of the season was back on Nov. 13 at Purdue Fort Wayne.
>> With Northern Illinois (9-6 MAC) leading the West Division, Miami's five conference wins include victories over two of the MAC's top three teams.
>> All five Miami conference wins were on the home court. Its only road win of the season was back on Nov. 13 at Purdue Fort Wayne.
Nike Sibande gets off a shot in the lane. In addition to his 24 points, Sibande also registered 11 rebounds. (MVSmith/MRO)
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