Jan. 31, 2003

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THE GAME
After a sound 73-58 win at Eastern Michigan in which Miami (8-9; 6-2 Mid-American Conference) shot a blistering 71.4 percent from the field in the first half to catapult it to its 500th MAC win, the RedHawks return home to host Buffalo (3-13; 0-7 MAC) on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 3 p.m. In the midst of a grueling six-day, three-game stretch, the RedHawks try to even their overall record to .500 for the first time since their conference opener against Western Michigan and also try to extend their win streak to five games for the first time since the 1998-99 season when Miami collected seven successive wins.

Against the Eagles, junior guard Juby Johnson (Warrensville Heights, Ohio/Warrensville Heights) poured in a career-high-tying 26 points, 19 of which came in the first half. Johnson paces the RedHawks, averaging 14.6 points per game, while sophomore forward Danny Horace (Cincinnati, Ohio/Western Hills) follows averaging 11.4 ppg and 5.3 rpg. Junior guard Chet Mason (Cleveland, Ohio/South) also averages double figures in scoring (10.1 ppg) and leads the team in rebounds, pulling down 6.3 per game. Freshman guard Josh Hausfeld (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon) currently leads the MAC in league only contests in assist/turnover ratio (3.71) and averaged 4.75 assists per game over the last four games, while committing 0.75 turnovers per game, a 6.34 assist/turnover ratio.

Buffalo is looking to end a nine-game skid. Despite their 0-7 league start, the Bulls have challenged some of the MAC's top teams, most notable of which was a one-point loss to Kent State (69-68) on a last-second shot. Turner Battle leads the team averaging 12.4 ppg, while Mark Bortz notches 7.9 ppg and a team-best 6.5 rpg.

THE SERIES VERSUS THE BULLS
The series with Buffalo dates back to the 1999 season with Miami owning a 7-1 lead in the series. Miami, which is on a three-game win streak in the series with Buffalo, is 4-0 when playing in Oxford. The RedHawks won all three meetings last season, including a 71-60 decision in the MAC Tournament First Round game in Oxford. Buffalo's lone win was a 66-61 overtime triumph in Buffalo on Feb. 24, 2001. (For complete series information, please refer to page 51 of the media guide.)

MIAMI IS FIRST TO 500!
With a 73-58 win at Eastern Michigan on Jan. 29, Miami became the first Mid-American Conference school to attain 500 league wins. In their 56th year in the MAC, the RedHawks hold a 450-288 record in conference play and boast a league-best .635 winning percentage. The next closest school in the win column is Ohio University, which owns a 446-351 record over 57 years in the MAC. Miami also owns 20 regular-season MAC crowns, more than twice the number of titles than any other league school.

HOT HAND HAUSFELD
Freshman guard Josh Hausfeld has had a hot hand as of late. During Miami's current four-game win stretch, not only did Hausfeld light it up against Akron, notching a career-high 19 points off 7-of-9 shooting from the field, he has dished out 19 assists and committed just three turnovers. Over the last four games, Hausfeld is averaging 10.0 points per game, 4.75 assists per game and boasts a 6.33 assist/turnover ratio. He leads the league in assist/turnover ratio in MAC contests (3.71) and ranks 14th in assists (3.25).

PICKPOCKET
In addition to his impressive rebounding efforts, junior guard Chet Mason also has been a pickpocket for the RedHawks, especially as of late. Over the past four games, Mason has come away with 15 steals (3.75 per game) and ranks third among Mid-American Conference leaders in steals in league only games, averaging 2.62 per outing.

FIRST-HALF FIRE
In Wednesday's game at Eastern Michigan, Miami shot a sizzling 71.4 percent from the field, hitting 20-of-28 field goals. It was the RedHawks' best single-half effort of the season. For the game, Miami shot 54.9 percent from the floor, just the second time this season it has shot 50.0 percent or better.

HORACE TABBED MAC EAST DIVISION PLAYER OF THE WEEK
For the second consecutive week, a Miami University men's basketball player has earned Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week accolades. Following a week where he led Miami to its first three-game win streak since Feb. 6-11 of last season, sophomore forward Danny Horace was tabbed player of the week, the conference office announced Monday.

Horace paced the RedHawks in wins over Akron (74-59) and Ball State (58-56). He poured in a career-high-tying 21 points against Akron to lead all scorers. He drilled 10-of-13 field goals, including 1-of-1 from three-point range, to shoot a sizzling 76.9 percent from the field, helping Miami to its best shooting efficiency of the season (.583). His seven boards against the Zips lifted Miami to a season-high for rebounds (35) and its greatest rebounding margin of the season (+16).

Against the Cardinals, Horace tallied a game-best 18 points and pulled down a team-best nine boards as Miami battled to outrebound BSU, 34-32. Over the final minute of the contest with Ball State trailing by just two points, Horace pulled down two crucial rebounds, including a defensive board with 35 seconds, which led to a three-point play by Horace off a dunk and the ensuing free throw to give the RedHawks a five-point cushion. Miami pulled down 15 offensive rebounds, led by Horace's four, to tally a season-high, bettering the 14 offensive boards it collected at Maryland. The Ball State win marked the 11th straight triumph over the Cardinals in Miami's Millett Hall.

For the week, Horace averaged 19.5 points per game, and 8.0 rebounds per game to lead the RedHawks. He also shot 55.2 percent from the field (16-of-29). Horace has scored in double figures in Miami's last four games. This is the first career player of the week honor for Horace.

AGAIN MIAMI BOASTS ONE OF NATION'S TOP NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULES
Over the past two seasons, Miami's strength of schedule has been among the top 15 nationally at the conclusion of non-conference play, and this season is no exception. As has become the signature of Miami's non-conference slate, the RedHawks' strength at the end of their non-conference slate was among the nation's top five according to CollegeRPI.com and in the Sagarin Index (No. 4 in CollegeRPI.com and No. 5 in the Sagarin Index). Heading into its game against Cincinnati, Miami's strength of schedule was No. 1 in both indexes. Currently, the RedHawks' strength of schedule is ranked No. 4 in the Sagarin Index and 12th by CollegeRPI.com. Miami is 74th according to CollegeRPI.com and is ranked 96th by Sagarin.

HOME SWEET HOME
Over its 34 seasons as the home of Miami basketball, Millett Hall has certainly been a welcome venue for the RedHawks, who are 324-106 (.753) on their home court. Six of Miami's seven wins this season have been in the confines of Millett Hall. Last season, the RedHawks won just three games away from Millett Hall.

DRAKE CLEARED TO REJOIN ROSTER
Miami University senior guard Larry Drake (Groveport, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) was cleared to rejoin the men's basketball team starting with its game versus Eastern Michigan on Jan. 29 after completing a class that had held him out of action since the RedHawks' Jan. 8 game versus Kent State.

HAUSFELD HAS BREAKOUT GAME
Freshman guard Josh Hausfeld has steadily been emerging in the RedHawk lineup, but Jan. 20 against Akron Hausfeld had a breakout game. Going 7-of-9 (.778 ) from the field, including 5-of-7 (.714) from three-point range, Hausfeld poured in a career-high 19 points, and his career-best six assists led to 13 additional RedHawk points. He also grabbed a career-best five rebounds while playing all 40 minutes of the game for the first time this season.

THE HORACE FACTOR
It is no secret that when Miami scores at least 70 points, it wins games. A key factor for that scoring surge is sophomore forward Danny Horace. In Miami's wins, Horace averages 14.9 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game and shoots 43.2 percent from the field. Contrastingly, he scores just 8.3 ppg, shoots 30.7 percent from the field and notches 4.1 boards per game in Miami's losses. In games where Miami has reached 70 or more points, Horace averages 15.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg and hits 47.4 percent of his shots.

SEALS STEPPING UP
Also emerging as of late has been junior forward Gene Seals (Saginaw, Mich./Saginaw). In four of Miami's last eight games, Seals has scored in double figures, notching a season-high 13 at Ohio on Jan. 18. In Miami's wins, Seals connects on 59.0 percent of his field goal attempts to average 6.9 points per game.

FIVE MAKE BIG IMPACT OVER LAST FOUR GAMES
Over Miami's past four games, five players have been key elements to Miami's wins, scoring the bulk of the RedHawks' points: Juby Johnson (17.5), Danny Horace (16.0), Chet Mason (11.3), Josh Hausfeld (11.7), Gene Seals (7.0). Seals was averaging double figures before being sidelined with an ankle injury just four minutes into last Saturday's contest against Ball State. Making just his second start of the season, Seals was able to score two points and dish out an assist in just four short minutes of action. Horace and Mason are also averaging 7.3 and 7.0 rebounds per game, respectively. From the field, four of the five (Horace, Johnson, Hausfeld and Seals) are all shooting 45.0 percent or better over the last three games led by Seals' 57.9 percent shooting effort.

AGAIN MASON ONE OF NATION'S TOP SMALL REBOUNDERS
Last season, Chet Mason ranked nationally among the top small rebounders (6-foot-3 and under), according to Stats, Inc., and this year he's picking up where he left off. Mason is currently ranked sixth on the list, averaging 6.3 boards per game. Boston Colleges Ryan Sidney tops the list, averaging 7.1 rpg.

MASON STEALS SHOW
Junior guard Chet Mason grabbed a game-best and season-high six steals against Ohio, all of which came in the second half, which ties for fourth on Miami's single-game list. The six steals is the second-highest single-game sum in Miami history. Three people have recorded seven steals.

MIAMI 73, EASTERN MICHIGAN 58
Behind a blistering 71.4 first-half shooting percentage, Miami seized a commanding 45-17 halftime lead and rolled to a 73-58 win at Eastern Michigan. The win marked Miami's 500th league triumph, becoming the first school in Mid-American Conference history to achieve the feat.

Juby Johnson scored 19 of his game-best and career-high-tying 26 points to pace the RedHawks. Johnson was a scorching 80.0 percent from the field in the first half (8-for-10) and ended the game hitting 62.5 percent of his field goals (10-of-16) and 50.0 percent of his three-point field goal attempts (4-for-8).

Eastern Michigan collected the first bucket of the game at the 19:05 mark, but the lead was short-lived as Johnson drilled the first of his treys just 20 seconds later to give the RedHawks the 3-2 edge, a lead they would not relinquish. Miami went on a 21-7 surge from the 15:25 mark to 7:17 left in the half to post a 28-11 lead. The run was ignited and capped by a three pointers by Johnson. Eastern Michigan, which shot 20.0 percent from the field in the half, was able to connect on just two field goals over the final 14:30 of the first half, collecting nearly half of its first-half points from the free-throw line.

In the second half, a trey by Josh Hausfeld handed Miami its largest in any game this season-29 points-at the 18:40 mark, 48-19. A 15-0 run by the Eagles, however, closed the gap to 14, 48-34, with 14:20 left. Tim Schenke thwarted the Eagle run, hitting a three pointer with 13:46 left. Again the Eagles surged and went on a 9-0 run to shrink the gap to 10 points with five minutes left, 57-47. Miami was able to cushion its lead a little more, but eventually a three-point play by Ryan Prillman cut the RedHawk lead to nine, 61-52 with 1:42 left to play. The RedHawks, however, were able to connect on 8-of-9 free-throw attempts down the stretch to pull out the 15-point win, 73-58.

In addition to Johnson, Danny Horace added 13 points, while Chet Mason notched a team-best eight rebounds and five steals. Hausfeld added five assists.

MORE ON MASON
In the three games prior Miami's Toledo and Ohio tilts, junior guard Chet Mason scored a collective 18 points. In Miami's games against Toledo and Ohio, Mason led the RedHawks in scoring, tallying 17 and 22 points, respectively. Not only did Mason average 19.5 points per game, he hit 65.2 percent of his field goals (15-of-23) and 55.6 percent of his three-point attempts (5-of-9). Against Ohio, Mason was an impressive 80.0 percent from the field (8-of-10) and 75.0 percent from three-point range (3-of-4).

A LITTLE GIVE AND TAKE
Junior guard Chet Mason and sophomore forward Danny Horace combined for 10 of the RedHawks's season-high 12 steals against Ohio. Mason snagged a career-high six steals, which ties for fourth on Miami's single-game chart, while Horace came up with four picks. The duo didn't just take, as they accounted for four of Miami's 12 assists. Mason handed out three assists and Horace had one.

TOP NUMBERS
Miami produced the most points in a half all season, amassing 47 in the second half against Ohio. The RedHawks also tallied a season-high 12 steals, while committing a season-low seven turnovers, equalled two weeks later against Ball State. Scoring 77 points, Miami also recorded its second-highest point total this season, falling just one shy of its 78 points against Dayton.

TOP NUMBERS PART II
Miami shot a season-high 58.3 percent from the field against Akron, its lone 50.0 shooting performance of the season. The RedHawks also dished out a season-best 16 assists, pulled down a season-best 35 rebounds and produced their greatest rebounding margin (+16) against the Zips.

TOP NUMBERS PART III
In a 73-58 win at Eastern Michigan, Miami shot a blistering 71.4 percent from the field in the first half, it's best single-half efficiency of the season, en route to its largest halftime lead, 45-17. It also was the most first-half points the RedHawks have scored this season.

A PUSH FOR 70
When the RedHawks hit 70 points, they win games. Five times this season Miami has reached the 70-point plateau, collecting wins in all five times. Miami topped Dayton 78-63, Central Michigan 71-62, Ohio 77-65, Akron 74-59 and Eastern Michigan 77-58.

JOHNSON'S BAND-AID BRAND DEFENSE
As the Johnson & Johnson Band-Aid slogan goes, "I'm stuck on Band-Aid, 'cause Band-Aid's stuck on me," junior guard Juby Johnson's brand of defense stuck on Ball State's Chris Williams, Evansville's Clint Cuffle, Central Michigan's Mike Manciel, Ohio's Steve Esterkamp and Akron's Derrick Tarver. Most recently, Williams, who averaged 23.1 points per game to rank ninth nationally entering the contest with Miami, was held to a season-low eight points by Johnson. Cuffle, who averaged 20.3 points per game and is one of the nation's top three-point shooters, hitting more than 60 percent of his three-point attempts prior to the Dec. 30 contest, was held to a mere four points as he went just 1-for-9 from the field versus Johnson. Manciel averaged 14.5 ppg and was held to nine by Johnson, while Esterkamp averaged 12.2 ppg and scored just five on Johnson. Tarver averaged 31.5 ppg in league action and scored 20, eight of which came in the waning minutes of the contest.

JOHNSON-MIAMI'S MINUTE MAN AND MORE
In five of Miami's last seven games, junior guard Juby Johnson logged a full 40 minutes. Johnson has been a driving force in the RedHawk lineup, hitting critical baskets to place Miami in contention to win games or overcome deficits and playing superior defense while typically drawing the toughest defensive assignments. Johnson is scoring at a 16.0 point-per-game clip to lead the RedHawks over the past six games, a career-high-tying 26 points at Eastern Michigan on Jan. 29. This season, Johnson has scored in double figures in 13 games, including eight of Miami's last nine contests.

HAUSFELD CRACKING THE STARTING LINEUP
Freshman guard Josh Hausfeld earned the first start of his collegiate career against Butler on Dec. 14, but came off the bench in the Miami's next two games-Cincinnati and Evansville-to record 10 and eight points respectively. Hausfeld made his return to the starting lineup versus Central Michigan and has started the last six games.

MAC NUGGETS
Three RedHawks are ranked among MAC statistical leaders. Chet Mason ranks ninth in defensive rebounds (4.76) and steals (1.59) and 11th in rebounding (6.3), Danny Horace is 13th in free-throw percentage (.750) and defensive rebounds (3.76), and Juby Johnson ranks ninth in made three-point field goals (1.82) and 15th in free-throw percentage (.728).

MAC NUGGETS PART II
In conference only games, five players rank among MAC statistical leaders. Josh Hausfeld leads the league in assist/turnover ratio (3.71) and ranks 14th in assists (3.25). Chet Mason ranks third in steals (2.62), seventh in defensive rebounds (5.38) and 10th in rebounding. Juby Johnson is seventh in made three-point field goals (2.12) and 14th in scoring (16.1), while Danny Horace ranks 10th in defensive rebounds (4.75) and 13th in free-throw percentage (.771). Gene Seals ranks 15th in blocked shots (0.62).

As a team, the RedHawks lead the league in scoring defense (57.5) field goal percentage defense (.412) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.267) and rank second in scoring margin (+5.0) and rebounding defense (31.1). The also rank third in turnover margin (+3.00).

STINGY DEFENSE
One of the hallmarks of Charlie Coles coached Miami basketball teams is a strong emphasis on defense. For the season, Miami has been among the nation's top teams in scoring defense and currently ranks 11th nationally according to ESPN.com, giving up just 59.4 ppg.

BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIER
With a 77-65 win at Ohio on Jan. 18, Miami broke down the road barrier that has hindered them since Feb. 6, 2002. Road games have been a true obstacle for the RedHawks, who won just two road contests last season and won their first in six tries this season at Ohio. Miami had lost eight straight road games, however, they have won their last two road contests, collecting wins at Ohio and Eastern Michigan. The Red and White also ended a three-game drought in The Convo with its previous win there on Feb. 18, 1998, 85-53.

THE 'SLUIS IS LOOSE!
Redshirt freshman Nate VanderSluis (Oak Harbor, Ohio/Oak Harbor) made his much-anticipated debut in a RedHawk uniform on Dec. 14 when Miami hosted Butler. The 6-foot-11 center, who has battled foot injuries the past two seasons, played five minutes against the Bulldogs and scored four points and snagged two rebounds. He also saw limited action against Cincinnati on Dec. 28 and Kent State on Jan. 8, but made his presence felt against Akron on Jan. 20, scoring four points, grabbing three rebounds and playing 18 minutes.

REDHAWKS HOT AND COLD FROM THREE-POINT RANGE
Against Evansville, Miami drained its first five three-point attempts, and didn't miss a field goal until the 15:40 mark. Miami hit 41.2 percent of its first-half three pointers (7-of-17)-its best first-half effort of the season. Things cooled off for the RedHawks, who went 9-of-29 from three-point range for the game as they made just 2-of-12 attempts in the second half, a 16.7 percent effort. The RedHawks' 29 attempts were their most since the Red and White attempted 30 versus Buffalo in February of 2000 and ranked among the top eight for single-game attempts in Miami history.

MASON TABBED MAC EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior guard Chet Mason was tabbed Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week following games against Toledo and Ohio.

Mason led Miami against Toledo and Ohio, scoring 17 and 22 points, respectively, to average 19.5 points per game for the week. He came into the week producing just 18 combined points over Miami's previous three games, but got his shooting touch back last week. Mason's career-high 22 points against Ohio lifted Miami to a 77-65 win over the Bobcats, its first road win since Feb. 6, 2002, and first win in The Convo since 1998.

Mason was a sizzling 8-of-10 from the field (.800) and 3-of-4 from three-point range (.750), single-handedly putting together two second-half runs to cinch the game against the Bobcats.

He also grabbed a game-high and career-best six steals, all in the second half, which ties for fourth on Miami's single-game chart. For the week, Mason hit 65.2 percent of his field goals 55.6 percent of his three-point attempts, averaged 7.0 rebounds per game and collected eight steals.

SCHENKE NAMED MAC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Miami University's basketball programs swept the Mid-American Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards Dec. 10 as junior forward Colleen Day (Independence, Ohio/Holy Name) and sophomore forward Tim Schenke were named the female and male scholar-athletes of the week.

Schenke, who owns a 3.37 GPA and majors in finance, helped Miami to back-to-back wins for the first time since early last February and got Miami to the .500 mark for the first time this season with wins over Dayton, 78-63, and a league-opening win over Western Michigan, 44-39. Schenke hit a critical three as time expired in the first half against Dayton to cut the Flyer lead to five and give the RedHawks momentum going into the second half. During a 17-0 second half run, Schenke hit another three to push Miami's lead to five. Miami's bench was a key component to the Dayton win, outscoring the Flyers 18-7. Schenke accounted for nine of those 18 points-a career-high sum.

For the second straight game, Schenke drilled a critical three against Western Michigan. All seven of his points came in the second half. Defensively, he helped hold Bronco forward Anthony Kann, who averaged 12.0 ppg heading into the contest, to just two points.

BENCH MARKS
A key to Miami's 78-63 win over Dayton was the production it received from its bench as the RedHawk bench outscored the Flyer bench 18-7. That margin was due in large part to sophomore Tim Schenke-who manufactured a career-high nine points, going 3-for-4 from three-point range-and junior forward Gene Seals, who added seven points.

THREE-POINT TURN AROUND
Over its first four games, Miami went a paltry 20-of-80 from three-point range, connecting on no more than six in a single game. Against Dayton, it seemed as if that might be the case in the first half as the RedHawks hit just 2-of-11 three-point attempts, including one by sophomore forward Tim Schenke just as the first half ended. The second half, however, was a much different story for the RedHawks, who drilled 8-of-10 three-point attempts for a sizzling .800 second-half three-point shooting percentage. Miami made its first five three-point attempts of the second half and didn't miss until the 13:29 mark.

DANNY "WRIGHT" ON THE BLOCK
When it comes to blocked shots, Danny Horace likes facing the Wright State Raiders. Last season as a freshman, Horace swatted five Raider shots, which tied Miami's No. 5 single-game total. On Nov. 30, Horace blocked three Raider shots for a grand total of eight over the past two years.

REBOUNDS FOR REED
Against Wright State, senior forward Bryan Reed (Terre Haute, Ind./North) snagged a career-high 11 rebounds and become just the second RedHawk this season to produce double figures in rebounding. His 11 rebounds against the Raiders also was a game-high sum, four more than any other player. For the week, Reed averaged a team-best 8.0 boards per game.

HAUSFELD STEPS UP AGAINST MARYLAND
Freshman guard Josh Hausfeld stepped to the floor in front of a national audience against No. 12/15 Maryland and showed that he is more than capable of playing with the nation's finest. Hausfeld was one of just two RedHawks and one of only four players to score in double figures, amassing 11 points off 4-of-8 field goals. Hausfeld drilled three treys as he went 3-of-4 (.750) from beyond the three-point arc. He also produced two rebounds and one steal.

DANNY DOUBLE-DOUBLE
In just the second game of the season, sophomore forward Danny Horace notched his first double-double for the RedHawks. Horace led all players with 17 points and 12 rebounds against No. 12/15 Maryland on Sunday. His 12 boards was twice the sum of any other player. He also had three steals and one assist.

A MIAMI WIN WOULD ...
* Extend Miami's win streak to five games, becoming the longest string since the 1998-99 rattled off seven straight wins.
* Put Miami in a position to play for a share or sole possession of first place in the East Division when it visits Kent State on Monday (depending on Saturday's Kent State/Western Michigan outcome).
* Even Miami's overall record for the first time since it was 3-3 after defeating Western Michigan on Dec. 4.

A MIAMI LOSS WOULD ...
* Be just the second loss to Buffalo and the first in Millett Hall.
* Drop the RedHawks' MAC record to 6-3.