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RedHawks electric in lopsided victory

Harris scores 17 points, Rollins big in 69-50 win over Central Michigan.

Miami's Quinten Rollins attempts a layup Saturday in a 69-50 rout of Central Michigan at Millett Hall. Rollins had five assists and one turnover. See more photos at Journal-News.com. Staff photo by Samantha Grier

Samantha Grier Miami's Quinten Rollins attempts a layup Saturday in a 69-50 rout of Central Michigan at Millett Hall. Rollins had five assists and one turnover. See more photos at Journal-News.com. Staff photo by Samantha Grier

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 7:02 PM Sunday, February 12, 2012

OXFORD — Miami University basketball coach Charlie Coles was presented with, late Saturday afternoon, the game he had been waiting for all season.

“Once I saw our feet moving like they were, I said ‘Wow, we’re dangerous today,’ ” Coles said. “Our guys were electric out there.”

The RedHawks took a 10-3 lead two minutes into the game and never looked back. The finished product was their most lopsided win of the season, 69-50 over Central Michigan.

“We did a good job of playing this game the way it should be played from start to finish,” Miami senior forward Julian Mavunga said.

Coles agreed. “From start to finish this was our best game of the year,” he said. “If I were a fan I would have enjoyed this game because we provided action.”

The crowd of 2,223, the largest at Millett Hall in two months, saw sophomore forward Jon Harris score 17 points, reaching a career high for the second straight game. Over the last two games Harris has drilled 8-of-12 shots from the 3-point arc.

“We’ve got the best player in the MAC and one of the best players in the country down low,” Harris said, referring to Mavunga. “He’s really opened us up on the outside.”

The fans also saw senior forward Adam Thomas score a career-high nine points and haul in a team-high seven rebounds.

They saw Mavunga, as usual, do more than a little bit of everything. He finished with 14 points, six rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals.

They saw Miami’s defense dominate CMU in the first half. The Chippewas shot only 15 percent from the field (3-for-20) over the first 20 minutes as the RedHawks took a 30-15 lead at the break.

“You’ve got to let the other team know you’re here and you’re here to stay,” Mavunga said. “It was physical for me, it was physical for everyone, and we out-physicaled them.”

Coles said Quinten Rollins was a catalyst for the RedHawks, who won for the third time in four games to improve to 8-15 overall, 4-7 in the Mid-American Conference.

“I thought Q. Rollins led the way,” the Miami coach said of his sophomore point guard, who had five assists and only one turnover for the second straight game.

Miami’s 19-point margin of victory eclipsed its previous high by nine points. The RedHawks had beaten Division II Saginaw Valley State 71-61 on Nov. 21.

Central Michigan (7-17, 2-9 MAC) has lost nine in a row. The Chippewas were led by Trey Zeigler with 17 points and eight rebounds.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or Pete.Conrad@coxinc.com.

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