March 3, 2006

Miami vs. Buffalo Game Notes
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REDHAWKS RETURN HOME TO HOST BUFFALO IN REGULAR-SEASON FINALE: Miami returns home to round out the regular season, hosting Buffalo at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 4. The RedHawks will honor their three seniors--William Hatcher, Josh Hausfeld and Nate VanderSluis--prior to tip-off. Saturday's game pits the league's current leader in scoring offense (Buffalo, 73.4 ppg in MAC-only games) against the league's leader in scoring defense (Miami, 58.4 ppg in MAC-only games). Miami posted an 81-74 win in Buffalo, which is the most points the RedHawks have given up to a MAC opponent and the third most they've given up all season.

REDHAWKS SECURE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE MAC TOURNAMENT FIRST-ROUND BYE: For the fourth consecutive year, Miami University has secured a first-round bye in the FirstEnergy Mid-American Conference Men's Basketball Tournament. Miami is the only Mid-American Conference men's basketball program to earn a first-round bye each of the last four years. Last season, Miami won the MAC crown outright to earn the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament. The previous two seasons, Miami tied for third overall and won the tie-breaker to earn the No. 3 seed in the MAC Tournament.

BOWLING GREEN WIN MARKS MOST MAC WINS SINCE 1998-99: With its 73-59 win at Bowling Green on Mar. 1, Miami recorded its most Mid-American Conference wins since 1998-99. Heading into their final regular-season game, the RedHawks own a 13-4 MAC mark. The `98-99 squad posted a 15-3 record en route to the program's 20th regular-season MAC crown.

REDHAWKS TRY FOR NINE: If Miami were able to defeat Buffalo on Saturday in the regular-season finale, the RedHawks would win nine of their final 10 games, which would be a first since 1994-95 when Miami posted a 16-2 MAC record, winning nine of its last 10 regular-season games. It also would be just the second time in 20 years--since the 1985-86 squad, which also went 16-2 in MAC play, won nine of its last 10 regular-season games--that a Miami team has accomplished the feat. Even if Miami loses to Buffalo on Saturday, the RedHawks will have won eight of their last 10, which is the best 10-game finish to round out the regular season since the 1998-99 team went 8-2 over its final 10 regular-season games, and would be just the sixth time over the past 20 years a Miami team has finished the regular season at least 8-2. All five of the other teams advanced to postseason play (2 NIT; 3 NCAA).

ABOUT BUFFALO: The Bulls are coming off an 83-71 trouncing of Akron in their last home game on Wednesday, which gave them back-to-back wins for the first time since the end of January. Another one of the league leaders in scoring offense, Buffalo is scoring at a 72.6 ppg clip over 29 games and owns a MAC-leading 73.4 ppg average in conference action. Despite an 81-74 loss to the RedHawks in Buffalo earlier this season, the Bulls scored the most points on Miami--the league's leader in scoring defense--by any MAC school and the third most points of any team all season. Four players average double figures in scoring for Buffalo: Calvin Cage (18.1 ppg in all games/19.6 ppg in MAC-only games), Yassin Idbihi (14.2/14.8), Roderick Middleton (12.1/12.6) and Mario Jordan (10.2/10.6). Cage's 19.6 ppg in MAC play ties for the top average among MAC players. Idbihi leads the team, averaging 7.0 rpg and has 23 blocked shots on the season, while Middleton averages 1.7 spg. Cage and Middleton provide a one-two punch from 3-point range, knocking down 72 percent of the Bulls' 188 treys on the season.

THE SERIES WITH THE BULLS: Saturday marks the 16th meeting between Miami and Buffalo with the RedHawks holding a 12-3 advantage in the all-time series. When playing in Oxford, Miami is 6-1. The RedHawks have won the last two meetings with the Bulls, including an 81-74 win earlier this season and a thrilling 77-74 overtime win in Oxford last year. Buffalo's last win in the series was on its homecourt last year, 67-56, while its last win in Millett Hall came on Feb. 28, 2004, 87-73.

STREAKIN': Miami put together a season-long, seven-game win streak, which equaled its longest streak since recording seven straight wins last season until a 70-63 loss at Kent State on Feb. 25 ended the steak. Miami also had won six straight Mid-American Conference contests during that stretch. This season has been full of streaks for the RedHawks, who, after losing the opening game of the season, won four straight, then lost four straight, then won five in a row before dropping three straight, which preceded the recent seven-game win streak.

FEBRUARY FLURRY: For the first time since 1994-95, Miami won six straight to start the month of February. The RedHawks posted a 6-1 record this February--a .857 winning percentage--which is the best February winning percentage under head coach Charlie Coles.

HOME SWEET HOME: After spending more than half of its first 20 games on the road, Miami plays five of its last seven regular-season games at Millett Hall. The RedHawks picked up a thrilling 67-63 double-overtime win over Ball State, a 65-54 triumph over Ohio and edged Illinois State (51-49) and Akron (63-60) in the first four of their last seven games. Last season, Miami set a program record for home wins, going 13-1 at Millett Hall and posting a 13-0 record in regular-season, and hopes that its homecourt advantage continues down the stretch this season. The RedHawks own a 360-113 all-time record (.761) in the confines of Millett Hall. Miami secured its 18th consecutive season at .500 or better at home with its win against Ball State on Feb. 12.

MIAMI, Tim Pollitz AMONG THE TOP 25: Including all games played through Mar. 2, Miami and sophomore forward Tim Pollitz are climbing up the national charts. Miami ranks 21st nationally in scoring defense (59.7 ppg), according to FoxSports.com. Tim Pollitz ranks 22nd in field goal percentage, knocking down 59.3 percent of his shots this season.

NOT FAR OFF: Of Miami's nine losses this season, the RedHawks have been in each game late in the contest. Miami has not lost a game by more than 10 points this season.

DEDICATED TO DEFENSE: A hallmark of Miami men's basketball in recent years is a strong emphasis on defense, and the 2005-06 RedHawks are continuing the trend. Miami ranks 21st nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 59.7 ppg. In Mid-American Conference play, the RedHawks rank first in scoring defense (58.4), rebounding defense (28.5), defensive rebounds (25.29), rebounding margin (+4.1), field goal percentage defense (.400) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (.340).

ROARING 20s: Nine times this season, Miami has had 20-point scoring efforts from its players. Twice this season, the RedHawks have had two players score 20 or more points in the same game (12/6 at Oakland; 2/4 at Buffalo). The following is a listing of Miami's 20-plus point performances:

12/4 at Central Michigan--Nathan Peavy 22 pts
12/6 at Oakland--Nathan Peavy 20 pts; Tim Pollitz 23 pts
12/11 vs. Xavier--William Hatcher 24 pts
12/28 vs. Cincinnati--William Hatcher 26 pts
1/29 at Ohio--Nathan Peavy 21 pts
2/4 at Buffalo--Nathan Peavy 22 pts; Tim Pollitz 20 pts
2/15 vs. Ohio--William Hatcher 21 pts

BOARD BANTER: One of the biggest question marks facing the RedHawks entering the 2005-06 campaign was their ability to rebound. Although the `Hawks have had some ups and downs on the boards, they have begun to settle in and are becoming a pretty solid rebounding team. In its last 16 games, Miami has outrebounded its opponent 11 times and equaled it one other time. Miami currently ranks first in MAC-only games in rebounding margin (+4.1), defensive rebounds (25.29) and rebounding defense (28.5). Three RedHawks rank among the MAC's rebounding leaders in league action: Nathan Peavy (t-6th, 6.5), Tim Pollitz (t-9th, 5.6) and Monty St. Clair (20th, 4.2).

ON THE OFFENSIVE: After averaging 47.0 ppg over three games from Jan. 21-26, Miami regrouped and had its best offensive efforts of the season its next three games. The RedHawks scored 73 points at Ohio on Jan. 29 and 77 points versus Bowling Green on Feb. 1, their best offensive outputs since scoring 80 points at Michigan on Dec. 22, before scoring a season-high 81 points against Buffalo on Feb. 4. Four RedHawks scored in double figures in all three contests.