• Blog
  • About Us
  • Links
  MAC Reporter Online

RedHawks bounce back to knock off Akron

2/24/2016

 
PictureGeovonie McKnight fires a jumper against Akron.The senior led Miami scoring with 20 points. (MRO/MVSmith)
By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, Ohio -- If the Miami RedHawks had something to prove Tuesday, they made their point. “We’re not a cakewalk,” senior Eric Washington said following a performance in which hosting Miami (10-18, 4-11 MAC) proved to be a more-than-formidable foe.
 
Senior Geovonie McKnight tallied 20 points and led three RedHawks in double figures as Miami upset MAC-East leader Akron, 77-64, at Millett Hall. Sophomore Abdoulaye Harouna tallied a career-high 16 points, while Washington contributed 13 points, seven assists and five steals. He had just one turnover over 36 minutes as the RedHawks 
. . . 

PictureKwan Cheatham Jr. gets off a shot. (MRO/MVSmith)
. . . pounced on Akron miscues to exact a measure of revenge for the 75-46 beating Akron (21-7, 10-5 MAC) inflicted on MU exactly one month earlier.
 
“We felt like they embarrassed us last time, so I think we had more motivation before this game,” Washington said. “No matter what the outcome, we decided we weren’t going to let them do what they wanted to do. We were going to send a message and play hard, and today that resulted in a win.”
 
McKnight was one of four Miami players who recently drew one-game suspensions and missed MU’s game against rival Ohio Saturday. Harouna, meanwhile, scored 15 points against OU and followed that with 16 against the Zips.
 

It was the third double-digit scoring game over the last four games for Harouna, who noted he is starting to get some confidence. “I’m not the new guy anymore, and I feel comfortable,” he said.

PictureIsaiah Johnson and Chris Bryant battle for a rebound. Johnson was high scorer with 21 points and also tied for game-high honors in rebounding with eight boards. (MRO/MVSmith)
Akron commited 16 turnovers to eight for Miami, and the hosts turned that difference into a 19-5 advantage in points off turnovers.
​
Miami also managed to capitalize at the foul line, which has typically been a part of other RedHawk wins this season. MU made 20-of-23 shots from the stripe, while Akron hit 7-of-10 charity tosses. 
 
It was the second straight loss and third setback in four games for UA, which was again playing without the services of Pat Forsyth. The 6-11 center has missed the last three games.
 
Still, Akron had a major presence inside with 6-10, 290-pound center Isaiah Johnson down low, and the junior got plenty of touches. He finished with a game-high 21 points, including five of the Zips seven points at the free throw line. Antino Jackson was the only other UA player scoring from the stripe. He converted both of his throws.
 
Miami, however, was determined to limit the widespread damage that occurred in the first meeting. Part of that was a 14-for-26 Akron performance on 3-point goals. Conversely, Miami made 1-of-10 from distance on that occasion.
 
“Coach just told us, make them beat us with something else,” Washington said. “Last game, they got comfortable for the three, and they burned us.  … That was just the game plan – to make them take tough twos and put the ball on the floor.”
 
The RedHawks hit 7-of-16 threes this time around, while Akron made 9-of-21. Overall, Miami converted 25-of-54 (46.3%) from the field. Akron was at 45.3 percent (24-of-53). Rebounds were exactly even – each team totaling 31 caroms, with six on the offensive end.

​

PictureAbdoulaye Harouna scored a career-high 16 points for his third double-figure scoring effort over the last four games. (MRO/MVSmith)
Akron grabbed an early lead, but it could not shake the RedHawks. After leading for 13:49 of the opening period, the Zips found themselves down by five at the break following a 10-1 Miami run to close the stanza.
 
UA quickly forged a tie when play resumed, but Miami managed to avoid the scoring struggles it has suffered to start the final period on a number of other occasions this year.
 
The Zips last lead was 43-41 on a Noah Robotham trey at 13:07. Washington came up with a steal and transition layup to tie the game, and it was knotted four more times before Miami took the lead for good at 8:20.
 
Harouna started a 9-0 RedHawk run with a trey – one of four 3-pointers on four attempts. Bryan finished the stretch with a layup that followed a Harouna steal.
 
The hosts stretched their lead to 11 points, while Akron could get no closer than seven as Miami thrived at the foul line. A pair of free throws by Dion Wade with seven ticks left gave MU its final 13-point advantage. 

Picture
Josh Williams scored nine points-- all on three-point goals. (MRO/MVSmith)
Picture
Erik Washington protects the ball on a drive into the lane. (MrO/MVSmith)

Comments are closed.
    Picture

    MAC Football 

    UPCOMING GAMES
    All times Eastern

    ​

    MAC FOOTBALL STANDINGS
    -- Final - 2022 -- 
    MAC EAST
    OHIO 7-1
    BUFFALO 5-3
    BOWLING GREEN 5-3

    MIAMI 4-4
    KENT STATE 4-4
    AKRON 1-7

    MAC WEST
    TOLEDO 5-3

    EASTERN MICHIGAN 5-3
    WESTERN MICHIGAN 4-4
    ​BALL STATE 3-5
    CENTRAL MICHIGAN 3-5

    NORTHERN ILLINOIS 2-6

    MAC Basketball 
    MAC BASKETBALL STANDINGS
    (Through 3-3-23)

    Team - MAC -- Overall
    Toledo 16-2 (25-6)
    Kent State 15-3 (25-6)
    Akron 13-5 (21-10)
    Ball State 11-7 (20-11)
    Ohio 10-8 (18-13)
    Buffalo 9-9 (15-16)
    Northern Illinois 9-9 (13-18)
    Miami 6-12 (12-19)
    Bowling Green 5-13 (11-20)
    Central Michigan 5-13 (10-21)
    Eastern Michigan 5-13 (8-23)
    Western Michigan 4-14 (8-23)

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Basketball
    Football
    Other

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

Proudly powered by Weebly