MIAMI BASKETBALL

Atlason helps MU hold off Eastern Kentucky

RICHMOND, KY -- Almar Atlason connected on 8 of 9 overall and 3 of 4 treys while scoring 19 points to lead Miami (10-0) past Eastern Kentucky (3-8) 79-69 Saturday at Baptist Health Arena.
It was the 10th straight win for MU, matching two previous best starts in school history (1917-18 and 1943-44). The Colonels, who had won two straight, fell to 3-8.
Joining Atlason in . . . 

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. . . double figures for the visitors were Antwone Woolfolk  and Brant Byers with 15 apiece. 
Miami shot 54.0 percent (33 of 61) from the field overall, with four players eclipsing 50 percent individually. The RedHawks also made 10 of 25 (40%) 3-point shots. However, MU got just nine shots at the free throw line and made only three. 

Eastern Kentucky, on the other hand, cashed in on 17 of 22 charity tosses. The Colonels matched Miami in three point goals (10 apiece), albeit EKU took 32 shots from long distance. The hosts made 21 of 62 from the field overall (34%). 

Sophomore Juan Cranford Jr., a 6-4 forward out of Dayton, OH, led EKU with 18 points. Most of those came on four triples, Although he was just 4 of 12 from deep, the treys helped Eastern Kentucky make a second half run after trailing by 22 points. 
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Jackson Holt (11 points) and and Austin Ball (10 points also reached double figures. Meanwhile, Yvens Paul and Montavios Myrick grabbed 12 rebounds apiece to help EKU out-rebound Miami 43-32. 

Suder scored on back-to-back possessions to start an 8-2 MU run that broke an early 8-8 tie. 
The RedHawks were up by three (23-20) with 5:05 to go but began to expand that lead. Eight Woolfolk points down the stretch helped MU to take a 35-25 advantage to intermission. 

Miami made just 2 of 11 (18.1%) from long distance in the first half. However, it improved to 8 of 14 (57.1%) after intermission. That helped the RedHawks built up a 22-point lead. Suder's layup at 11:22 put MU in front 57-35.

With free throws and a series of Cranford treys falling, Eastern Kentucky began to chip away after that. 
Cranford's triple at 4:37 cut the Colonels' deficit to single digits (69-60) with 4:37 to go. 

Unlike earlier in the week when MU blew an 18-point lead before winning in overtime at UNC-Asheville, Saturday's RedHawks didn't go cold down the stretch. Atlason contributed 10 of Miami's final 12 points as Miami finished with a 10-point win. 

NOTES: 
•  Miami continues its four-game road trip at Wright State on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. With a 76-74 loss to Marshall Saturday, the Raiders are 5-6 on the year.
•  This is the fourth consecutive game that Miami has shot over 50% from the field.
•  The RedHawks had 20 fast break points and 20 points off turnovers.
•  Miami recorded 34 points in the paint in comparison to just 12 from the Colonels.
•  Miami totaled under 10 turnovers for the second game in a row (third time this season).