MIAMI BASKETBALL

RedHawks cruise in final MAC tuneup

Eian Elmore goes up for a reverse slam during second half action. (MVSmith/MRO)

By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, OH -- Seven RedHawks reached double figures as Miami (6-6) wrapped up non-conference play with a 119-69 victory over Wilberforce (1-4) Friday at Millett Hall.

Freshman point guard Evan Ipsaro led MU with 17 points. However, only two of the double figure RedHawk scorers were starters as the Miami bench contributed 70 points. Jackson Kotecki hit all four of his field goal tries on the way to 13 points. Eian Elmer, Bradley Dean and Jaquel Morris recorded 12 points each. Reece Potter and Ryan Mabry chipped in 10 apiece. 

"Coming off Christmas break . . .  we had a couple of really good practices," Miami Head Coach Travis Steele said. "We shared the ball and handled the press pretty well."

Cali Davis earned game-high honors, scoring 21 points for the Bulldogs. Josiah Mobly tallied 19.
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Miami trailed just once (4-2) and used a 15-0 run to build a 17-4 advantage following Bryce Bultman's layup at 13:26. Shooting 55.3 percent from . . .

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Bryce Bultman pulls down a rebound. The RedHawks out-rebounded Wilberforce 52-25. (MVSmith/MRO)

​. . . the field, MU took a 57-32 lead into intermission.

The RedHawks continued their barrage in the final stanza, scoring another 62 points while hitting 66.7 percent from the field. "We got everybody a lot of time tonight," said Steele, who likes the depth -- albeit young -- that MU is developing. "There is strength in numbers,. That's an advantage of our team. ... We have different guys who could start (on a given night)."

Only two RedHawks played at least 20 minutes against Wilberforce. Elmer logged 21:26, while Dean saw 20:43 minutes. Fourteen players saw action and 13 scored. 

Holding a distinct height advantage, Miami outrebounded the visitors 52-25 and held a 14-4 edge in second chance points. Overall, the RedHawks outscored Wilberforce 70-28 in the paint. ​

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Mekhi Cooper recorded a game high 10 rebounds and eight assists to go with five points. (MVSmith)

NOTES:
-- Miami finished non-conference play with a 6-6 record. Five of the six losses were on the road. 
-- -- Miami begins MAC play Tuesday (7 p.m. ET) when it hosts Western Michigan (3-9).
-- Although the RedHawks connected on 60.8 percent from the field overall, they made just 57.1 percent (20 of 35) from the free throw line. 

Reece Potter scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds, dished out four assists and blocked three shots in his 17 minutes of action. (MVSmith/MRO)

-- Potter was among the bench players getting extended playing time. The 7-1 freshman center missed most of the non-conference schedule but has been working his way back.
"I think people don't understand how hard it is for a freshman, who has never played college basketball, didn't practice for two months and just gets thrown into the fire against Ohio State, Davidson and then Wright State. It's hard ... even if you're a senior," Steele said. 
With senior Anderson Mirambeaux also recently returning, the RedHawks now have some depth to go with sophomore Jaquel Morris. Mirambeaux, in particular, is a force inside. "He changes the whole dynamic of our team," Steele said.
-- Freshman guard Mekhi Cooper had just five points, but he also registered a team-high 10 rebounds and eight assists in nearly 20 minutes of action. 

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