Second-half surge lifts ’Hawks

Rockets slow pace, but a 10-0 run in the second half gives Miami its fifth straight win.

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 8:29 AM Thursday, February 11, 2010

OXFORD — The Toledo Rockets tried to out-Miami the Miami University basketball team, and for a while it worked.

“In the first half it was a boring game,” Miami senior guard Kenny Hayes said. “They were slowing us down. Usually we’re the ones who slow the other team down.”

The RedHawks finally caught fire in the second half with a 10-0 run and beat the Rockets 55-47 on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at Millett Hall to boost their winning streak to five games.

The RedHawks (11-13, 8-3 in the Mid-American Conference) were led by Hayes with 14 points, five assists and three steals.

Hayes was one of four Miami players to score in double figures. The others were Antonio Ballard (13 points), Julian Mavunga (12) and Nick Winbush (10).

“Tough team,” Miami coach Charlie Coles said of Toledo, which fell to 3-22 overall, 0-11 in the MAC. “Very unorthodox the way they play. We couldn’t get a handle on them.

“Every team has its own style and Toledo’s is unique,” he said. “They’d penetrate ... They’re like us. They’re not going to shoot it real quick. They’re a more patient us, and that’s going to cause us some trouble.”

Toledo led 21-18 at halftime behind Justin Anyijong, who scored 13 of his team-high 16 points before the break.

“Coach said we were taking way too many 3s and we didn’t get the ball inside,” Hayes said.

Miami took 11 shots from the 3-point arc in the first half and made only two.

“We should have been a little more aggressive,” Hayes said. “In the second half we came out and took it to the basket ... In the second half we got some pep in our step.”

Mavunga sparked a 10-0 scoring spree by the RedHawks with a three-point play with 12:19 left in the second half.

“We were talking about how we had to pick up our energy,” Mavunga said. “When we play with energy, we’re a very tough team to beat. We were a different team in the second half.”

Still, the Rockets wouldn’t go away and a basket by Jake Barnett pulled them to within three, 48-45, with 2:00 to play.

Winbush responded with a 3-point basket from the corner and that proved to be the back breaker for a Toledo squad that has lost 15 in a row.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.

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