Brant Byers and Peter Suder scored 17 points apiece, Miami poured in 54 first-half points and then withstood a furious second-half push to beat Bowling Green 93-83 on Tuesday night.
Miami (14-0, 2-0 MAC) shot 54.5% overall (30 of 55), hit 11 of 23 from 3-point range (47.8%) and went 22 of 24 at the foul line (91.7%) in front of an announced crowd of 3,844.
The RedHawks — who entered the night first nationally in effective field goal percentage (.643) and field goal percentage (54.6%), second in 3-point percentage (43.6%) and fifth in scoring offense (95.1) — looked the part early, storming out to a 54-28 halftime lead.
Miami’s first half was a clinic — 17-for-27 shooting (63.0%), 7-for-14 from deep (50.0%) and 13-for-14 at the line (92.9%). The RedHawks turned Bowling Green turnovers into points, finishing with 21 points off turnovers and 34 points in the paint.
Bowling Green (10-4, 1-1) flipped the game after the break, outscoring Miami 55-39 in the second half and repeatedly attacking inside. Sam Towns scored a game-high 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting and added six rebounds. Senior guard Javonte Campbell — a preseason first-team All-MAC pick who entered the night leading the Falcons in points (15.5 per game), assists (4.2) and steals (3.7) — finished with 16 points, four assists and three steals.
Miami’s balance showed again. Luke Skaljac scored 15 points and Antwone Woolfolk had 14 points in 17 minutes, going 4 for 4 from the field, 2 for 2 from 3-point range and 4 for 4 at the line. Eian Elmer added eight points and seven rebounds, Almar Atlason scored nine and Trey Perry finished with seven.
Suder stuffed the box score with eight rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block, and Skaljac added five assists with two steals. The duo has been a steadying force for a Miami team that entered the week with one of the MAC’s best assist-to-turnover profiles. Skaljac is second in the league and 19th nationally in assist/turnover ratio (3.86), while Suder is ninth in the MAC and 102nd nationally (2.50).
The RedHawks’ guard play mattered late, too, as Bowling Green crept within striking distance in the final minutes. Miami steadied itself at the line and got timely buckets — including a Suder 3-pointer at the 2:45 mark — to turn back the rally and finish a road league test that was billed as one of its first major hurdles of conference play.
Miami continued to pair numbers with a growing national footprint. The RedHawks received six votes in the most recent Associated Press Top 25 men’s poll released Monday, Dec. 22, and were ranked No. 3 in the Mid-Major Top 25 poll announced the same day. Miami entered the week as one of six undefeated Division I teams (Arizona, Iowa State, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska and Vanderbilt) and backed it up again Tuesday.
The RedHawks also continued an offensive surge that has defined the opening two months. In their most recent action prior to Tuesday, Miami raced past Milligan 135-81 on Monday, Dec. 22 at Millett Hall, setting a program record by shooting 76.1% (51 of 67) and extending a streak to seven straight games shooting better than 50% from the field. Miami hit 20 of 30 3-pointers (66.7%) in that win, recorded fewer than 10 turnovers for the fourth time this season, and finished with 135 points and 32 assists — both the second most in a single game in program history.
Up next, Miami returns home to host Akron on Saturday, Jan. 3 at 3:30 p.m.
NEXT GAME
Who: Akron at Miami
When: 3:30 p.m., Saturday
Radio: 1450-AM, 980-AM
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