Head Coach Charlie Coles was at a loss for words. The Miami University men's basketball team blew a double-digit lead for the third time in its early season and fell short, 51-49, of the near upset against the University of Illinois at the Sears Center in the Chicago Invitational Classic.
"I think you've got to win some of these games," Coles said. "We tried to get some form of offense (in the second half), but we couldn't get it going."
But the RedHawks gradually got back on the horse the following night and, after a slow start, downed Rutgers University 57-44, to jump to 3-3 on the season.
"Right now we're inconsistent, but when we play good like the last four minutes (of the Rutgers game), we come to win," Coles said. "So, we just got to develop some consistency."
In Miami's past two losses to the University of Kentucky and Illinois, the RedHawks have hit an offensive wall in the last four minutes of the game, scoring only six points and three points, respectively.
Despite the 'Hawks going cold late in the game, the game came down to a layup by Illini guard Chester Frazier with 18 seconds left. The RedHawks' last chance for the upset came with a long-range miss by guard Michael Bramos.
Miami's defense held an Illinois team, which came in averaging 81 points per game and shooting 51 percent from the field, to just 51 points and 37 percent.
The RedHawks' offense was also firing early, as they used an early 12-2 surge to build a 16-point lead at 27-11 with 5:23 left in the first half.
Illinois, however, countered with a 4-0 run to end the half to cut Miami's lead to seven at 33-26.
The RedHawks were able to maintain their buffer for the first few minutes of the second half with offensive contributions coming from Monty St. Clair, Tim Pollitz and Nathan Peavy. A Peavy turnaround jumper gave Miami the 42-33 lead, with 14 minutes remaining in the game.
Late Miami shooting woes and an effective Illini press aided them in the comeback. A jump shot from forward Warren Carter gave the Illini their first lead of the game, at 48-47, with 1:20 remaining in the game.
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A clutch Peavy shot from the post put the RedHawks up 49-48 with 43 seconds remaining, but last second heroics by Illinois's Frazier sunk the 'Hawks.
Peavy led all players with a career-high 22 points, his second 20-point effort of the season, and 11 rebounds.
The RedHawks suffered from a hangover from Friday night's game Saturday, as they mounted only 11 points in the first eight minutes of the game against Rutgers.
Miami went scoreless for the next 10 minutes, as Rutgers came back on 12-1 run to lead the 'Hawks 17-15 with 2:11 remaining in the first half.
A last minute 3-pointer by guard Alex Moosmann put Miami up 18-17 at the half.
"To play Rutgers after a disappointing loss by us last night, I knew we would struggle for a while," Coles said. "The second half I thought we played better."
A string of offensive surges by Pollitz and Bramos put the RedHawks up six at 25-19.
The Scarlet Knights would keep it close, but a 3-pointer by guard Doug Penno with 4:51 remaining helped Miami go on a 10-3 run. The RedHawks would never look back and beat Rutgers 57-44.
"We just picked up the pace a little bit," Pollitz said. "I don't think they were ready for it ... Eventually, it just broke open for us."
The RedHawks now look ahead to Wednesday, when they will face Xavier University at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati. The game is slated for 7 p.m.
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