Jan. 27, 2012

Miami at Western Michigan
Saturday, January 28 - 4 p.m.
University Arena - Kalamazoo, Mich.
Radio: Miami IMG Sports Network (WMOH 1450 Hamilton; WFMG 101.3 Richmond; WONE 980 Dayton, WDBZ 1230 Cincinnati)

Miami Game Notes

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MIAMI TRAVELS TO WESTERN MICHIGAN FOR SATURDAY TILT: Miami continues its stretch against the MAC West Division when it travels to face Western Michigan at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28. The RedHawks are coming off a tough two-point loss to Toledo on Wednesday and try to end a three-game slide. Although the Broncos are coming off a five-point loss at Ohio, they are undefeated at home this season with eight of their nine wins coming at University Arena.

DOING A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING: There are a lot of great players in the Mid-American Conference, but there may not be another player who is relied upon more and does more for his team than senior forward Julian Mavunga. In addition to averaging a MAC leading 17.6 ppg and 9.7 rpg in a league-leading 38.0 minutes per game, Mavunga is also helping to get his teammates shots. With a great deal off defensive attention being paid to the 6-foot-8 forward, Mavunga is averaging 3.8 assist per game in MAC play, which ranks 10th among league leaders. Against Bowling Green, he had a 17-point, 7-assist performance, contributing to 33 of the RedHawks' 57 points which accounted for 57.89 percent of the RedHawks' scoring against the Falcons. His seven assists tied his career high. In a straw poll by ESPN.com for National Player of the Year, Mavunga was one of 17 players--and the only MAC player--to receive votes.

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Senior forward Julian Mavunga compiled his 24th career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds against Toledo on Jan. 25. Mavunga, who had eight double-doubles last season, finished the 2010-11 campaign compiling seven double-doubles over the RedHawks' last 12 games and has 10 in Miami's 18 games this season, giving him 17 over Miami's last 30 games. Entering the week, he ranked 13th nationally in percentage of games with a double-double (52.9) and tied for 20th in number of games with a double-double.

SULLIVAN PROVING TO BE ONE OF MAC'S TOP FRESHMEN AND SIXTH MEN: Freshman guard Brian Sullivan is proving to be one of the MAC's strongest freshmen and also one of its top sixth men. On the season, Sullivan has come off the bench in 15 of the RedHawks' 18 games and is averaging 9.8 ppg in 25.7 minutes of action per game. He has started three of Miami's six MAC games and is averaging 12.8 ppg in 29.7 minutes of action per game in conference contests. In league games, he leads the MAC in made 3-pointers, and also ranks among conference leaders in scoring and 3-point field goal percentage. Sullivan has knocked down 18 of the RedHawks' 40 treys in MAC play, accounting for 45 percent of their long-range baskets.

McGHEE TURNING IN SOLID NUMBERS: Three times in Miami's last five games, sophomore center Drew McGhee has scored in double figures. He tallied 10 points and a career-high six rebounds in a career-most 29 minutes at Ohio on Jan. 21. McGhee poured in a career-high 16 points, off 8-of-10 shooting from the field, and five rebounds at Kent State on Jan. 11. His 16 points, which led all RedHawks against the Golden Flashes, doubled his previous career best of eight points at Xavier earlier this year. McGhee followed that with 11 points against Buffalo on Jan. 14, with 10 points coming in the second half, and added five rebounds. He also played 28 minutes against the Golden Flashes and Bulls. In MAC play, McGhee ranks among conference leaders in field goal percentage (.578, 3rd).

SHARP SHOOTER: Hitting 46.4 percent of his 3-point shots this season, freshman guard Brian Sullivan is among the top freshmen 3-point shooters in the country, ranking second. Sullivan's 45 triples lead all RedHawks this season and his 2.5 3-pointers per game rank fifth among all Division I freshmen and are the most by a MAC freshman. Among MAC statistical leaders, Sullivan ranks fifth in 3-point field-goal percentage and ties for second in made 3-pointers per game. In MAC games, he ranks first among league leaders in made 3-pointers per game (3.0) and seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (.439).

MINUTE MEN: Miami players have combined to play 40 or more minutes 15 times this season, led by senior forward Julian Mavunga's nine 40 or more minute games. Three RedHawks--Mavunga, sophomore guard Quinten Rollins and freshman guard Brian Sullivan--played the entire 40 minutes in Miami's win against Buffalo on Jan. 14. It was a career high for both Rollins and Sullivan. Mavunga ties for second nationally in number of 40-minute games and ranks third in average minutes played (38.4). Sophomore forward Jon Harris played 38 minutes against the Bulls, coming out for just two minutes in the second half, while sophomore center Drew McGhee tied a -then career high with 28 minutes and played all 20 minutes of the second half. Harris has played the entire 40 minutes twice this season, both coming within Miami's last five games. As a team, Miami entered the week ranked third nationally number of 40 or more minute games by its players.

OH SO CLOSE: Although the RedHawks have just a 5-13 record, Miami has been in nearly every game until the very end. Of Miami's 13 losses, nine have been by seven points or less, including three two-point losses. All but two of the RedHawks' losses have been by single digits.

SULLIVAN SINKING SHOTS: Freshman guard Brian Sullivan has had some impressive outings for Miami this season. Eight times he has scored in double figures, including 13 points against Toledo on Jan. 25. At Ohio, Sullivan led the RedHawks with 16 points, knocking down four 3-pointers, one more than the Bobcats' team total. He led all scorers in Miami's win over Buffalo (Jan. 14) with 17 points. He accounted for five of the RedHawks' six treys against the Bulls and hit the game-tying triple with 3:26 to play before taking the lead for good. Against Akron, Sullivan tallied 14 points, 12 of which came in the first half. He scored 18 points against Evansville on Dec. 20 and three games later erupted for 24 points at Vanderbilt on Jan. 2, nailing eight 3-pointers against the Commodores. He accounts for more than 36 percent of Miami's triples. Over the last six games, Sullivan is averaging a team-leading 14.4 ppg and shooting 48.5 percent from the field, including 51.0 percent from 3-point range.

ABOUT THE BRONCOS: Coming off of a five-point loss at Ohio, Western Michigan enters Saturday's game with a 9-11 overall record and a 3-3 MAC mark. The Broncos' specialty this season has been playing at home, where they are 8-0. Four Western Michigan players are averaging double-digits in scoring, with Matt Stainbrook leading the way at 13.4 points per game. Stainbrook also leads the Broncos with 7.1 rebounds per game. He ranks eighth and sixth in those categories, respectively, in the MAC, while leading the league in field goal percentage (.583). Demetrius Ward and Mike Douglas follow at 11.2 ppg, while Nate Hutcheson averages 10.0 ppg. Western Michigan is also one of the best rebounding teams in the conference, ranking second in rebounds per game (39.0) and rebounding margin (+5.5). In MAC play, the Broncos average a league-leading 39.3 rpg and +9.0 rebounding margin.

SERIES WITH WESTERN MICHIGAN: Saturday marks the 121st meeting between Miami and Western Michigan with the Redhawks holding a 81-39 lead in the series. When playing in Kalamazoo, however, the Broncos have the advantage, 33-25. Last year's game at Millett Hall ended with the RedHawks falling in overtime, 73-68, the first home loss to Western Michigan since 1989. The previous season, Miami picked up its first win in Kalamazoo since 1999 with a 56-54 win. Close games have been a recent trend in the series, with four of the last five being decided by five points or less and two of those going into overtime.

UP NEXT: The RedHawks return home to host Eastern Michigan at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1. Miami then hits the road for a pair of MAC West Division tilts, traveling to Ball State for a 4 p.m. tip on Saturday, Feb. 4 before heading to Northern Illinois for an 8 p.m. (ET) game on Wednesday, Feb. 8. The RedHawks round out their stint against the MAC West Division hosting Central Michigan at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11.

Probable Miami Starters (based on last game):
G-Quinten Rollins
G-Will Sullivan
G-Josh Sewell
C-Drew McGhee
F-Julian Mavunga

Probable Western Michigan Starters (based on last game):
G-Demetrius Ward
G-Mike Douglas
C-Shayne Whittington
F-Nate Hutcheson
F-Flenard Whitfield

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