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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 7:48 AM Friday, July 9, 2010

OXFORD — Go ahead and circle the date of Nov. 16, 2010 with thick red ink. That’s the day coach Charlie Coles’ Miami University basketball team will collide with the defending national champions.

Miami vs. Duke.

Coles, who never has shied away from pitting his RedHawks against the giants of college basketball, confirmed on Thursday, July 8, that his RedHawks would play the Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the O’Reilly Auto Parts College Basketball Experience Classic.

“That’s quite a challenge,” Coles said.

“We’ve never played in Cameron, so that should be exciting for our players,” he said. “Last year going to Kentucky and this year going to Duke, that’s quite an exciting two years. Plus, we’re going to Kansas next year.”

The concept is nothing new for Coles, whose team has played some remarkably close games against blockbuster teams in recent years.

The RedHawks lost 72-70 at Kentucky last season on a last-second jumper by John Wall, lost 64-59 at UCLA in 2008 and lost 47-44 at Louisville in 2007.

Despite the near-miss at Kentucky, the RedHawks struggled during their nonconference schedule last season, losing 10 of their first 13 games.

But Coles said that hasn’t changed his philosophy about playing a difficult schedule.

“Last year there were a couple games we should have won,” Coles pointed out. “I never second guess our strength of schedule.”

This will be the first-ever meeting between Miami and Duke, which finished 35-5 last season after winning the NCAA tournament under coaching legend Mike Krzyzcewski, who has guided the Blue Devils to four national titles and 11 Final Four berths.

Coles said Miami also will play three home games, Nov. 20-22, as part of the tournament. Two of the opponents will be Wisconsin-Green Bay and IUPUI, he said, and the third opponent has yet to be determined. Other teams playing in the tournament include Kansas State, Gonzaga, Marquette, Princeton, James Madison, Presbyterian, San Diego State and Bucknell.

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