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Miami low after losing 3 straight

Senior Mavunga says sometimes the team is ‘just not alert.’

Miami's Julian Mavunga is surrounded by Toledo players Wednesday night, Jan. 25, 2012 during the Mid-American Conference game at Millett Hall in Oxford, Ohio.

Staff photo by Gary Stelzer Miami's Julian Mavunga is surrounded by Toledo players Wednesday night, Jan. 25, 2012 during the Mid-American Conference game at Millett Hall in Oxford, Ohio.

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Updated 8:51 AM Thursday, January 26, 2012

By Pete Conrad

Staff Writer

OXFORD — After Miami University lost its third straight game Tuesday night to Toledo 63-61, the RedHawks looked like they were fresh out of answers.

“A very, very low point,” said Charlie Coles, their normally up-beat and energetic coach. “It’s going to be a long night ... The lowest point I may have had in college coaching may have been tonight.”

“It seems that sometimes in games we’re just not alert,” senior forward Julian Mavunga said.

The loss was the RedHawks’ first to Toledo at Millett Hall in 12 years, and that’s not all. Miami has lost five home games for the first time in 12 years, and they stand 1-5 in the Mid-American Conference for the first time in 44 years.

To make matters feel even worse, Miami had come up with a big defensive play in the closing seconds, a steal by Mavunga with 9 seconds remaining, but the RedHawks were unable even to come close to getting a shot off before the ball was knocked out of Jon Harris’ hands by Toledo’s Curtis Dennis with a second on the clock.

Coles said he didn’t call timeout because “I didn’t want to risk them being able to guard us. I thought on that fastbreak we could make a play.”

It appeared that not all five of the RedHawks on the court were aware that the clock about to run out.

“It’s at the end of the game, you’ve got to know how much time is left,” Mavunga said.

Miami (5-13 overall) never led in a game which saw Toledo (10-10, 2-4 MAC) score the first eight points and hold a 14-point lead late in the opening half.

“I think they got comfortable,” Mavunga said of the Rockets’ early dominance. “At halftime, coach told us we let them get their confidence.”

Brian Sullivan connected on three 3-point baskets late in the half to help close Toledo’s lead to six points at the break, 33-27.

Miami tied the game twice early in the second half and pulled to within two when Harris connected on a 3-point basket with 42 seconds remaining.

Rian Pearson, Toledo’s 6-foot-4 sophomore guard and transfer from Green Bay, led all scorers with 23 points and also grabbed 10 rebounds.

Dennis finished with 17 points and four steals for the Rockets.

Mavunga led Miami with 14 points (including 10 in the final nine minutes) and 11 rebounds, and Brian Sullivan scored 13.

Coles said he expected Miami to play much better on its home floor after its strong showing Saturday in a 69-65 loss at Ohio.

“Those are two (home) games in a row we’ve allowed the other teams to outplay us,” he said, referring also to Miami’s 65-57 loss to Bowling Green on Jan. 18. “These are the kinds of games you’ve got to win, and I don’t know if our guys are strong enough mentally.”

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

Next game

Who: Miami (5-13, 1-5 MAC) at Western Michigan (9-11, 3-3)

When: 4 p.m. Saturday

Radio: WMOH-AM (1450)

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