UC freshmen do most damage to ’Hawks

Stephenson, Wright combine for 29 points as Bearcats fend off late Miami rally.

Miami’s Adam Fletcher attempts a shot during its game against UC on Thursday, Dec. 10, The RedHawks lost to the Bearcats, 63-59.

Staff photo by Samantha Grier Miami’s Adam Fletcher attempts a shot during its game against UC on Thursday, Dec. 10, The RedHawks lost to the Bearcats, 63-59.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Big Blue shine  in tourney debut
2/14/12
Monday's prep results; Tuesday's schedule
2/14/12
High school boys state basketball poll
2/13/12
Prep basketball: Fairfield isn’t ducking top seed
2/12/12
College basketball: MUH men win regular-season finale
2/12/12
> More sports headlines

By By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 7:55 AM Friday, December 11, 2009

CINCINNATI — The Miami University basketball team would be a lot better off this season without freshman players on the court.

Not theirs. The freshmen on other teams. Especially the ranked teams.

This time it was 6-foot-5 freshman forward Lance Stephenson who burned the RedHawks for 17 points and eight rebounds as the 19th-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats held off Miami 63-59 on Thursday night, Dec. 10, at U.S. Bank Arena.

Stephenson also had three assists and three blocked shots for the Bearcats, who improved to 6-1 with their 11th straight victory over the RedHawks.

It was a little less than a month ago that another freshman, John Wall, drilled a jumper at the buzzer to give No. 4 Kentucky a 72-70 win over Miami.

“They might be freshmen, but they don’t play like freshmen,” Miami junior forward Nick Winbush said of Stephenson and Wall.

Senior guard Kenny Hayes scored a game-high 19 points for the RedHawks (2-7), Winbush totaled 13 points, seven rebounds and three steals, and Julian Mavunga chipped in with 13 points off the bench.

Miami scored 12 points in the last 40 seconds, but UC held the RedHawks at bay by sinking six straight free throws down the stretch.

MU, which was scorched by a 25-0 run by Temple in the first half of their 64-42 loss two nights earlier, appeared to be headed for another nightmarish first half when the Bearcats reeled off 11 straight points with the help of its fullcourt press and trap defense.

“We have a long, athletic team,” said UC redshirt freshman Cashmere Wright, who had 12 points. “A lot of running and jumping. That’s who we are.”

The RedHawks bounced back with tenacious defense, especially by Allen Roberts, the freshman guard from Middletown who blocked two shots.

UC led at halftime 24-23 after being outscored by Miami 17-9 over the final eight minutes of the half.