By MIKE SMITH
The name Marin Maric might not be all that familiar to most members of the 2017-18 Miami RedHawks basketball team, but veterans like Logan McLane were well aware of what a day at the office with Maric could entail.
Maric came off the bench to score a season-high 22 points and spark the DePaul Blue Demons to an 83-66 victory over Miami Thursday at Wintrust Arena.
The 6-11, 240-pound center . . .
The name Marin Maric might not be all that familiar to most members of the 2017-18 Miami RedHawks basketball team, but veterans like Logan McLane were well aware of what a day at the office with Maric could entail.
Maric came off the bench to score a season-high 22 points and spark the DePaul Blue Demons to an 83-66 victory over Miami Thursday at Wintrust Arena.
The 6-11, 240-pound center . . .
. . . previously spent three years playing for Northern Illinois and tallied 11 points for the Huskies January 17 against Miami. After missing two games due to injury this season, Maric quickly found his form and asserted himself against the RedHawks.
The Blue Demons were struggling early as Miami jumped out to a 7-2 lead and were up 17-12 when Maric came up with a steal near mid-court. When he tried to finish at the other end, he was fouled hard by Nike Sibande.
A flagrant one foul was called, and Maric made two free throws at 9:09 for his first points of the game. Less than a minute later, Maric’s dunk pulled the hosts to a 17-16 deficit.
Max Strus, who scored 21 points on the evening, hit one of his four treys to give DePaul its first lead, 19-17 at 7:53. He then added five of the next seven points, giving DePaul a 26-17 advantage.
Miami fought back and Jake Wright’s triple at 2:43 pulled the RedHawks to within three at 26-23. However, the Blue Demons outscored MU 9-3 to take a 35-26 lead to the locker room.
DePaul bumped its advantage into double digits and was up 60-44 with 10:05 remaining. Miami then put together an 11-2 run that started with a Rod Mills triple and ended with Sibande’s 3-ball at 7:36.
That drew MU within seven (62-55) with plenty of time left. Maric, however, provided seven points – five on free throws -- during a 12-1 burst. Tre’Darius McCallum’s trey gave the hosts an 18-point cushion (74-56) with 3:45 left and DePaul cruised in for the final 17-point margin.
Joining Maric and Strus in double figures for DePaul were Eli Cain (19) and McCallum (10).
Sibande led MU with 17 points, while Wright added 12 – all on 3-point goals.
Miami shot 41.8 percent from the floor and 39.4 percent outside the arc.
The Blue Demons had a nine-point advantage in made free throws, but Miami’s biggest problems were dealing with the Maric-Strus combo and turnovers. The RedHawks registered a season-high 25 turnovers.
Miami returns to action Dec. 30 when it travels to Ohio State (noon, ET). That game will be televised on ESPNU.
The Blue Demons were struggling early as Miami jumped out to a 7-2 lead and were up 17-12 when Maric came up with a steal near mid-court. When he tried to finish at the other end, he was fouled hard by Nike Sibande.
A flagrant one foul was called, and Maric made two free throws at 9:09 for his first points of the game. Less than a minute later, Maric’s dunk pulled the hosts to a 17-16 deficit.
Max Strus, who scored 21 points on the evening, hit one of his four treys to give DePaul its first lead, 19-17 at 7:53. He then added five of the next seven points, giving DePaul a 26-17 advantage.
Miami fought back and Jake Wright’s triple at 2:43 pulled the RedHawks to within three at 26-23. However, the Blue Demons outscored MU 9-3 to take a 35-26 lead to the locker room.
DePaul bumped its advantage into double digits and was up 60-44 with 10:05 remaining. Miami then put together an 11-2 run that started with a Rod Mills triple and ended with Sibande’s 3-ball at 7:36.
That drew MU within seven (62-55) with plenty of time left. Maric, however, provided seven points – five on free throws -- during a 12-1 burst. Tre’Darius McCallum’s trey gave the hosts an 18-point cushion (74-56) with 3:45 left and DePaul cruised in for the final 17-point margin.
Joining Maric and Strus in double figures for DePaul were Eli Cain (19) and McCallum (10).
Sibande led MU with 17 points, while Wright added 12 – all on 3-point goals.
Miami shot 41.8 percent from the floor and 39.4 percent outside the arc.
The Blue Demons had a nine-point advantage in made free throws, but Miami’s biggest problems were dealing with the Maric-Strus combo and turnovers. The RedHawks registered a season-high 25 turnovers.
Miami returns to action Dec. 30 when it travels to Ohio State (noon, ET). That game will be televised on ESPNU.
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