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Miami Notes: Kent St. star wins tough matchup

Another close loss for Miami

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Updated 1:55 AM Thursday, January 12, 2012

By Pete Conrad

Staff Writer

KENT — The featured basketball matchup of the night was Kent State senior forward Justin Greene, last season’s Mid-American Conference Player of the Year, and Miami University senior forward Julian Mavunga, a major contender this year.

Greene scored a game-high 23 points and helped keep his team in the game in the Golden Flashes’ 71-67 victory. During a six-minute span early in the second half Miami outscored KSU 16-6, and it was Greene who scored all six of the Golden Flashes’ points.

Mavunga totaled 14 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocked shots.

“I knew it was going to be a tough matchup,” Greene said. “I just wanted to try to match his intensity.”

The unheralded star was KSU’s Michael Porrini, who went 0-for-9 from the field but finished with nine rebounds, eight assists, four blocks and two steals.

Numbers of note: The RedHawks led Kent State 37-33 at halftime, the ninth time this season Miami has led at the break. Miami is 3-6 in those games. ... The RedHawks are 1-7 away from home this season. ... Miami nailed four of its first seven shots from behind the 3-point arc, then went 1-for-13 from 3-point range over the rest of the game.

Tardy tie: Although there were eight lead changes in the first five minutes, there was no tie between Miami and Kent State following the first points of Wednesday’s contest until the 18:54 mark of the second half, when two free throws by KSU’s Patrick Jackson made it 39-39.

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

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