MIAMI NOTEBOOK

RedHawks face MAC's leading scorer in Tuesday matchup

By MIKE SMITH
Miami will be back on its home court Saturday when the RedHawks host Eastern Michigan.
- The Eagles are 8-7 overall and 1-2 in MAC play. Two of those conference games went into overtime, with EMU splitting the pair. They fell at Bowling Green 92-90 to open MAC play and lost at home to Kent State 71-69 in another OT thriller. Eastern Michigan's last outing was an 80-64 home loss to Central Michigan.
-- CMU shot 61.2 percent from the field and 64.7 percent on treys. The Eagles, meanwhile, connected on 42.6 percent overall but were just 4 of 17 (23.5 %) on triples. 
-- Junior guard Tyson Acuff (6-4) leads the MAC in scoring average (22.0 ppg). He has . . .

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Eian Elmer got a start against Buffalo., contributing 10 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals in 21 minutes. (MVSmith/MRO file)

. . . connected on 45.3 percent of his shots from the field. Guard Orlando Lovejoy is averaging 11.7 ppg.
-- Forward Yusuf Jihad (6-8, Jr) leads the Eagles beyond the arc, hitting 16 of 33 (48.5%) of his attempts.
-- EMU ranks 10th among MAC teams in scoring offense (68.8 ppg) and is seventh in scoring defense (74.5 ppg).The Eagles are 10th in scoring margin (-5.7). 
-- Eastern Michigan is 10th in 3-point shooting (31.7%) and sixth in defending the trey (33.5%). The Eagles are facing a Miami offense that ranks first among MAC teams in both shooting the three (38.0%) and defending it (29..1%). The RedHawks are second in made 3-pointers (8.5 per game). 

-- A win by Miami (7-8, 1-2 MAC) would raise the RedHawks to .500 -- both overall and in MAC play.
-- Miami is coming off an impressive 86-65 victory at Buffalo. MU led by two at halftime and connected on 85.7 percent of their second half shots while outscoring the Bulls 48-29 in the second half. 
-- Anderson Mirambeaux's inside power game was complimented some good perimeter shooting -- especially in the second half. Mirambeaux scored 21 points in 17 minutes on the night. 
-- The RedHawks rank seventh among MAC teams in scoring (74.6 ppg). They are fourth in scoring margin (71.7 ppg). 
-- Miami is third among MAC teams in field goal percentage (47.0%) and first in 3-point goal percentage (38.0%). -- MU also tops the league in 3-point goal defense (29.1%). Most of opponents' damage has been in the paint and/or the boards. 
-- Point guard Evan Ipsaro, who injured an ankle against Western Michigan two weeks ago, came off the bench to play 17 minutes at Buffalo. However, he did not attempt a shot.
-- Freshman guard Eian Elmer started against Buffalo, registering 10 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals in 21 minutes. 

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