OXFORD, Ohio -- Miami finally won a close game.

After losing a pair of one-point decisions (Memphis and Dayton), a two-point overtime setback (Ohio) and a four-point defeat (Marshall) earlier this year, the RedHawks pulled out this nip-and-tuck affair when Alex Shorts hit a 15-foot jumper with four seconds left. That gave Miami a 57-56 victory over its closest geographical Mid-American Conference rival.

This was a rematch of last year's MAC Tournament Conference title game, which Ball State won 61-58. The last four games in this series have been decided by three points or less, with two of the four being decided in overtime.

Following Shorts' jumper, the Cardinals raced down the court and point guard Billy Lynch, who averages just 2.2 ppg, threw up a desperation 23-footer that fell way short.

Shorts, who came off the bench after starting 15 straight games for the RedHawks, finished with a game-high 19 points. He hit 9-of-14 field goals. With the RedHawks trailing 54-53 with under a minute to play, Shorts nailed a short jumper with 37 seconds to go to give Miami a short-lived 55-54 lead.

BSU freshman guard Rawle Marshall drained a 15-foot shot with 22 seconds remaining to put the Cardinals back in front, 56-55. That set the stage for Shorts' heroics.

Miami's Jason Grunkemeyer added 18 points, 5 assists and 2 steals. He scored 13 of the RedHawks' 25 first-half points. Ball State led 28-25 at the break.

Marshall was the story of the game for Ball State. He had played just nine minutes in four previous games and scored two points. Marshall finished with a team-high 15 points, 3 assists and 2 steals in 24 minutes of action.

Ball State, which led by as many as seven in the second half (49-42), lost its ninth straight game at Millett Hall. BSU's last win in Oxford came Feb. 12, 1992. The RedHawks now lead the overall series 45-31.

Miami plays at Eastern Michigan on Wednesday before returning home next Saturday to face Bowling Green. Tip time for the Feb. 3 Bowling Green contest is noon.