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Miami can’t keep Ohio State down

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Mavunga double-double not enough as No. 2 OSU pulls away in 69-40 win.

By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 8:19 AM Friday, December 23, 2011

COLUMBUS — In a flash, it was over.

After Miami University clawed and fought its way back against second-ranked Ohio State, the Buckeyes started hitting every shot in sight and crushed the RedHawks 69-40 Thursday night at Nationwide Arena.

“How do you tell your team Merry Christmas after this game?” joked Miami coach Charlie Coles, whose team lost for the sixth time in seven games to fall to 3-7.

“We played against what I think is the best team in the country,” he added.

After watching OSU take an 11-0 lead less than four minutes into the game, Miami’s defense steadied itself and slowed the game. The RedHawks didn’t score many points the rest of the half, but neither did the Buckeyes.

A layup by Miami’s Josh Sewell 30 seconds into the second half cut OSU’s lead to 26-19.

Then the Buckeyes (12-1) went wild, hitting 11 straight field-goal attempts and outscoring the RedHawks the rest of the way 43-21.

“The biggest thing we wanted to do (in the second half) was get back to our style of basketball,” said OSU guard Aaron Craft, who had eight assists for the Buckeyes.

“We knew they were going to come in and try to slow it down,” he said of the RedHawks, “and they were successful in doing that in the first half.”

Despite the loss, Miami senior Julian Mavunga led all players with 20 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. It was his seventh double-double of the season.

“I liked Mavunga,” Coles said of his 6-foot-8 forward, who played all but a few seconds and hit 8-of-14 shots. “I think Mavunga said, ‘Hey, OK, I’m going to play my heart out. We’re not going to win the game, we’re looking awfully bad, but I’m going to play my heart out.’ ”

The Buckeyes were led by William Buford, who scored 11 of his team-high 18 points in the first half, and Deshaun Thomas, who added 15 points. Ohio State’s All-American, Jared Sullinger, finished with 11 points, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals despite a 20-minute stretch without a field goal.

After Sewell’s basket early in the second half, the Buckeyes regained control with a 15-2 run sparked by back-to-back baskets by Buford and capped by a 3-pointer by Lenzelle Smith.

Miami freshman guard Brian Sullivan, who attended high school at nearby Upper Arlington, scored eight off the bench, going 2-for-2 from the 3-point arc.

Nobody else had more than four points for MU. The 40 points were a season low for Miami, which shot 32.6 percent from the field and 2-for-14 from the arc.

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