OXFORD, OH -- The torch was passed, so to speak, Friday as the Miami RedHawks opened their 2016-17 season with an 84-57 win over Division III Muskingum at Millett Hall.
Michael Weathers, one of seven freshman on a roster with just one senior, led the way for MU with 21 points. His brother Marcus Weathers also reached double figures (11 points), while redshirt sophomore transfer Jake Wright owned 13 points.
The RedHawks return . . .
For a variety of reasons, Miami was bound to use a lot of players. All of them eventually saw action. In addition to the three double figure scorers, another four owned at least six points and 10 players reached the scoring column.
The Fighting Muskies, who finished 6-19 last year, return all five starters. Jarrell Marsh hit a triple to give the visitors a quick 3-2 lead, and Muskingum stayed out front until Dion Wade hit a jumper at 11:57 to move Miami ahead, 11-10.
When Michael Weathers hit a three-point goal at 10:23, it capped a 13-0 Miami run that left the hosts ahead, 18-10.
“Michael is a good athlete and he’s long,” Cooper said.”He’s got ability and he has talent. We’ve just got to make sure that we continue to coach him up and get him to command the game.”
Michael Weathers (6-2) and fellow freshman Milos Jovic (6-4) are the new face of point guard play for the RedHawks. Both are a contrast to the size and style of 5-foot-10 Washington.
Wright’s trey at 7:23 gave Miami a double-digit lead at 29-18. Cooper believes Wright will be one of the key scoring contributors in the future. He “has the ability to really, really shoot the basketball,” Cooper said. “He does have the ability to get it going and score buckets.”
Muskingum knocked the lead down to 38-32 when Jalen Paige hit a three just before intermission. However, Miami quickly broke the game open with a 22-4 run coming out of the break. When Marcus Weathers hit a basket at 4:53, the RedHawks were up by 30 at 72-42, and they cruised the rest of the way.
“There was a point (when) we finally settled down and were able to execute and do a few thing,” Cooper said. “This is really the first time our group has been under the lights, per se, with fans in the stands and we have a lot of young kids.”
Asked about areas in need of improvement for the RedHawks, who play at Wright State Tuesday, Cooper identified turnovers, free throws and rebounding.
► Muskingum registered 22 turnovers, while Miami owned 20 on the game.
► Miami got to the line for 31 free throws, but made 19 (61%).
► MU won the rebounding battle, 53-40, overall. However, Cooper noted that a “stronger” performance would be needed against future competition.
“All in all, I’ll take it,” Cooper said. But there “are things we need to get cleaned up.”
“We’ll get better,” he added. “Particularly from the freshmen, you’re going to see those guys mature as the season progresses and you’re going to see their games grow by leaps and bounds.”