MIAMI BASKETBALL

RedHawks edge Vermont in dramatic return home

Hunter caps frantic rally with long trey at buzzer

Anderson Mirambeaux tied for game-high scoring honors in his second game back.

By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, OH -- In his post-game comments, Miami Head Coach Travis Steele opined that more close basketball games are lost in the last minute than are won in the final minute. 
While that may or not be the case, it was clear that his Miami RedHawks WON Saturday's matchup against Vermont. After trailing by eight with just over a minute to play, MU (5-6, 0-0 MAC) battled back for a 70-69 win over UV. Darweshi Hunter's 3-point bank shot shortly after crossing half court completed a frantic RedHawk rally as MU broke a three-game losing streak while playing its first home game since Nov. 28. 

"We've played a really hard schedule -- a hard stretch," Steele said. "It makes you grow up.

Hunter and Anderson Mirambeaux, who saw . . . 

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Darweshi Hunter (right) gets congratulations from Jaquel Morris after hitting a game-winning 3-pointer in the final second. (MVSmith/MRO)

Bradley Dean looks for a shot. (MVSmith/MRO)

. . .  action for just the second time this year, led MU with 17 points apiece. Evan Ipsaro (13) and Ryan Mabrey (11) combined for 24 points. Aaron Deloney topped three Catamounts in double figures with 13 points. 

Fresh off a 26-point win at Toledo Wednesday, Vermont brought a 9-4 record to Oxford. Miami stayed with UV through the first half and trailed 34-32 at intermission.

After the RedHawks took a brief two-point lead early in the second half, Vermont moved back in front and stayed there until Hunter's final shot. The visitors were up by eight (55-47) with 8:56 to play, but Miami chipped away to pull within one (55-54) after Bryson Bultman's layup at 5:34. 

An 8-0 Catamounts run gave Vermont a nine-point edge with 3:31 to go, but MU again refused to fold. Two Mabry free throws at 1:01 made it a 66-61 game. Evan Ipsaro's diving hustle play with 19 seconds left created a jump ball with MU gaining possession.

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Evan Ipsaro scored 13 points and grabbed four rebounds. His dive to create a jump ball was a critical part of Miami's late rally. (MVSmith/MRO)

"He's just tough," Steele said of the freshman  point guard. "He dives on the floor. He takes charges. He gets jump balls. He gets so much deeper than his stat line. He impacts winning in a big, big, big way on both ends of the floor."

After an inbound, the ball swung to Hunter in the corner and he drained a triple to bring Miami within two (66-64). "Darweshi loves those corners," Steele said.

Two Catamount free throws by T.J. Long pushed the lead back to four, but with :04 remaining, Ipsaro, however, took his defender off the dribble and hit a long three from the elbow. 

A quick foul put Long at the free throw line again, and he  hit the first shot for a 69-67 UV lead. When he missed the second, Mirambeaux quickly got the rebound over to Hunter, who streaked past the scorers table before launching his winning bank shot.

"I said 'Merry Christmas' as he was about to release that thing," Steele said. "I just knew it was going in."

For Steele, the victory rewarded his young squad for a lot of hard work. 

"Our ream is really growing up quickly," he said. "Sometimes you don't gte the results you want, but you're getting a lot better. I think over the last month, we've gotten a lot better."

His RedHawks may be one of the nation's younger teams, but with just one more (home) game remaining before Miami begins MAC play, Steele is optimistic. "I think we've got a chance to be really good. You can throw our record right out the window."

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Jackson Kotecki drives the lane. (MVSmith/MRO)

NOTES:
-- Vermont hit 13 of 26 (50) from the field overall and was 6 of 19 (31.6%) on treys. Miami had one more field goal, connecting on 24 of 55 (43.6%) overall and 10 of 28 (35.7%) from beyond the arc. 
"We missed a lot of layups (and) a lot of wide open threes, free throws -- you name it," Steele said. Eventually, "they're going to fall at some point. We pass the ball too well( and) we take good shots."
-- Although UV edged Miami 33-30 on the boards, the RedHawks helped themselves with just six turnovers and had a 12-2 advantage in points off turnovers in the second half. 
-- Even as MU works Mirambeau into the lineup and increases his minutes, Steele is intent on adding to the RedHawks inside game while maintaining a potent perimeter offense.
"We've got a really young tea," Steele said. "Obviously, getting Anderson back helps us, as well . . .  (He's a front line guy whose played college basketball and been in these experiences ."
-- The RedHawk bench contributed 32 points on the day. 
-- Vermont made 17 of 28 free throws (60.7%), while MU went 12 of 19 (63.2%) at the stripe.
-- Bultman led Miami on the boards with eight rebounds. 

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