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Another close loss for Miami

Kent State prevails over Miami after a comeback in the second half

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 7:59 AM Thursday, January 12, 2012

KENT — For the second time in five days, Miami’s basketball team had a big deal brewing and failed to close.

Kent State outscored Miami 13-2 down the stretch to beat the RedHawks 71-67 Wednesday night at M.A.C. Center.

“Kent State fought a little harder than we fought,” said Miami coach Charlie Coles, whose RedHawks slipped to 4-10 overall and 0-2 in the Mid-American Conference after losing for the ninth time in 11 games.

KSU senior forward Justin Greene scored five of his game-high 23 points during that final span of 5:45 which saw the Golden Flashes regroup after the RedHawks had taken a 65-58 lead.

“Greene was a monster, much better than I thought he would be in this game,” Coles said, explaining that he had seen tapes of Greene this season and his scoring was down. “He’s a man in the post. Man, he’s tough.”

Miami also led Akron by seven points in the second half last Saturday but lost to the Zips at home 65-60.

“It’s extremely tough to lose two games like that,” said Miami sophomore center Drew McGhee, who led the RedHawks with a career-high 16 points.

“We can tell we’re getting better,” he said. “Our record might not show it, but without doubt we’re better. We just haven’t been able to close it out.”

The RedHawks led by 12 points late in the first half, but the Golden Flashes (11-4, 1-1 MAC) scored the last eight points before the break to cut Miami’s lead to four, 37-33.

Miami opened the lead back up to 57-48 with 11:50 remaining, but Kent State responded again with a 10-0 run.

Back-to-back 3-point plays by Quinten Rollins and Julian Mavunga, followed by a layup by Josh Sewell, gave Miami a seven-point lead with 5:55 left.

But then KSU began chipping away at the lead. A 3-point basket by Carlton Guyton with 4:59 to go pulled the Flashes to within three, and a basket by Randal Holt tied the score at 67-67 with 1:26 on the clock.

“We came over during the last media timeout, we all looked at each other in the eyes and said we’re not losing,” said Holt, who finished with 16 points.

Greene put KSU ahead with a 7-foot bank shot with 23 seconds on the clock. Then a bounce pass by Miami’s Jon Harris was too wide for Julian Mavunga to handle and it went out of bounds with 9.3 seconds to go.

“I wish (Harris) had taken that last shot,” Coles said, “because it’s better to take a shot than it is to lose it.”

Harris had scored 12 points, all in the first half, when he hit four of his first five 3-point attempts. He took only two shots in the second half.

Kent State’s first-year coach, Rob Senderoff, said Patrick Jackson did a good job of guarding Mavunga on the play. “I told Pat to do what you can not to let him touch (the ball).”