• Blog
  • About Us
  • Links
  MAC Reporter Online

RedHawks reel in Keene to edge CMU

2/11/2017

 
PictureMarcus Keene launches a triple for his only three points of the first half. The junior erupted for 50 points against Miami in January but was held to 12 points Saturday. (MVSmith/MRO).
By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, Ohio -- There was, perhaps, no shortage of irony in Miami’s 81-76 win over Central Michigan Saturday in Millett Hall.

It was, after all, Central Michigan that pinned a 101-92 loss on Miami back on Jan. 21 in Mt. Pleasant. Aside from the overall outcome, however, the big news out of that one was 50 points from CMU guard Marcus Keene.
 
The junior transfer had continued to scorch the nets since then and he remained the nation’s leading scorer entering Saturday’s game against Miami, If anything, it looked like an opportunity to pad his stats.
 
It didn’t work out that way, however, as
. . . 

. . . Keene was held to a career-low 12 points – three in the first half.

"You try to make him play in traffic," Miami head coach John Cooper said. "I thought we did a good job of that in the first game (against them), and Keene just got in an unbelievable zone and just went  off. 
We keep him from doing that this  game, thank goodness, and consequently we come out with the win."
PictureBraylon Rayson hit 9 of 19 shots overall but was 2 of 9 from beyond the arc. He led CMU with 24 points on the day. (MVSmith/MRO)
Central Michigan still managed to put four players in double figures, led by senior Braylon Rayson’s 24 points. David Deleo hit 4 of 9 2-point attempts on the way to 15 points, while Josh Kozinski added 14 points.

"You've got to know  going in they've got guys that can shoot the ball," Cooper said. "With Keene and Rayson's ability off the  bounce, they are able to find those  guys; and they space you and they stretch you with the  way they play their offense."
 
Luke Meyer led CMU with 10 caroms as the Chippewas out-rebounded Miami 46-35. The RedHawks, however, applied defensive pressure that not only stifled Keene, but also resulted in a 22-11 MU advantage in turnovers. Miami cashed  in for 22 points, compared  to only seven CMU points  off 11 Miami miscues.

"The main difference in this game (from the first meeting) was we took better care of the ball and Keene doesn't go off in the  second half," Cooper said.
 
As would be expected, the Chippewas offense included a strong 3-point focus again Saturday. CMU launched 40 treys, sinking 14 (35.0%). Miami, meanwhile, struggled  mightily from distance for most of  the afternoon. The RedHawks were 2 of 12  from distance before  intermission and 3 for 11 after the break. That led to a 5 of 23 total (21.7%) mark.

PictureJunior Logan McLane, defended here by Luke Meyer, registered a career-high 29 points in Miami's win over Central Michigan. (MVSmith/MRO)
With the distance game struggling, Miami rode its inside offense. Junior forward Logan McLane provided a career-  (and  game-) high 29 points. He connected  on 11  of  15 from the field  and 7 of 9 at the free  throw line.

​"Logan was just terrific,"  Cooper said. 
 
The charity stripe proved  to be  one one Miam’s  keys as the hosts  hit 16 of 22  opportunities. Central Michigan made 8 of 9 free throws.
 
Joining McLane in double figures were Michael Weathers (18), and Jake Wright (10).
 All of Wright’s points came in the second half as MU overcame a 28-35  halftime deficit.
 
The Chippewas, who led for nearly all of the first period, managed to hang onto relatively small leads until Wright finally connected on a trey at 13:55 of the final session. That put Miami in front 48-47 at 13:55.
 

PictureMichael Weathes scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half. He also registered 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 4 steals while commiting just three turnovers. (MVSmith/MRO)
Both teams owned the lead at various points the rest of the way. Keene gave Central Michigan a seven-point lead (58-65) at 6:16 and a pair of Cecil Williams free  throws put the visitors up  by seven (67-60) at 5:02.
 
Miami chipped away and grabbed  a 69-67 edge at 3:53, Dileo naled  a triple at  the other end for  Central Michigan’s last lead, 70.69. But Wright responded at the other end with a layup.
 
A Dileo triple with one minute remaining left the teams in a 76-all deadlock. However, CMU would not score again. Marcus Weathers  muscled his way to an oldie 3-point play with 31 seconds left to put the home team up 79-76.
 
After a Chippewas miss, Michael Weathers hit one of two free throws. The second miss was grabbed by Marcus Weathers, who was immediately fouled. He then split a pair of free throws  for the final 81-76 margin. "That was a big play," Cooper said. 
 
Thanks to a 48-18 advantage in the paint, Miami managed to connect on 30 of 66 attempts from the field (45.5%). Central Michigan made  27 of  66 attempts (40.9%). 

Picture
DaRohn Scott stretches for one of his six rebounds against Miami. Central Michigan held a 46-35 rebounding edge over the RedHawks. (MVSmith/MRO)
The Miami win broke a four-game skid  for MU, which had  lost  9 of the previous 10 starts.

"This team has been through some things, and obviously our bench is shortened  up even more  now with Dion (Wade) out," Cooper said. "I'm happy for our kids, because I thought they played  very unselfishly."

The RedHawks will attempt to pick up their first road win of the season Tuesday at Kent State. Central Michigan, which missed a chance to  grab sole possession of first place  in the MAC West, begins a three-game homestand Tuesday when it hosts the hot Buffalo Bulls. Both games start at 7 p.m. ET.

Comments are closed.
    Picture

    MAC Football 

    MAC FOOTBALL 
    2024
    REGULAR SEASON
    FINAL STANDINGS
    CLICK HERE

    Picture
    MAC Basketball 
    MAC BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

    MAC BASKETBALL
    STATISTICS

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Basketball
    Football
    Other

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    April 2023
    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