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KALAMAZOO, MI - After more than a decade of losing at University Arena, the Miami RedHawks shook off the absence of a key starter to post their first true road win of the season Thursday. Senior Kenny Hayes paced the visitors with 16 points and hit an 18-foot jumper with .8 seconds left to give Miami the 56-54 victory over Western Michigan.
"That was the way I wanted it to end - with the ball in Kenny's hands," Miami head coach Charlie Coles said. "He just made a little herky-jerky move and went up (with it). It looked pretty good,and it went in. ...I looked up at the clock, and it was .8 That was great."
Hayes' performance came at a critical time - not just in the final seconds, but throughout the contest. With fellow senior starter Adam Fletcher -known for his hard work and quiet intensity - out due to a leg problem, the RedHawks needed scoring and leadership. Hayes provided both.
"When I found out that Fletch wasn't playing, I really had to step up my leadership skills," said Hayes, who turned it up a notch after MU trailed 29-24 at intermission.
"I felt that I had to come out in the second half and fire my team up," Hayes said. The redshirt senior point guard lit that fire with MU's first three field goals of the second half, helping the RedHawks catch WMU at 35-all.
David Kool, one of the MAC's top scorers, also heated up his game after intermission, scoring 15 of his game-high 19 points during the final 20 minutes.
With the two seniors leading the way, Miami and WMU kept it close down the stretch. There were six ties in the second half.
Miami twice built four-point leads, with the last at 52-48. A Donald Lawson layup and two Kool free throws, however, knotted the score again.
Kool then put the Broncos out front with a basket before Antonio Ballard converted both ends of a one-and-one opportunity. After Kool missed a chance to reclaim the lead, Hayes nearly drained the game clock before taking his winning shot.
Ballard had 10 points and 10 rebounds for MU while recording his second double-double of the season. He also contributed two of the RedHawks eight blocked shots on the night as Miami again showed why it leads the league in blocks.
Sophomore forward Julian Mavunga also had two blocks and made it into double figures with 14 points, including six markers from behind the arc. The other eight points came from 10 foul shot opportunities.
"I thought that was the most mature game he's played this year," said Coles, who was particularly happy to get a solid performance from Mavunga given Fletcher's absence.
In addition to Kool's 19 points (and 10 rebounds), WMU also got a double-figure game from Martelle McLemore (17 points). Nate Hutcheson chipped in nine markers.
Both teams made 18 field goals and had five 3-pointers. Miami, however, made 15 of 19 from the foul line, while Western Michigan converted 13 of 16.
"I thought this was as hard a fought ball game as you could have - from both teams," said Coles, who called the victory a "much needed win."
With its first true road win of the year, MU (9-13) has now won three straight. At 6-3 in league play, the RedHawks remain a game behind MAC
East leader Kent State. Miami finishes its swing through the west with a game at Northern Illinois Saturday (4 p.m.) and home tilt against Toledo Wednesday (7 p.m.)
Western Michigan (12-10, 4-5) has now lost three of its last four and four of the past six. The Broncos entertain Bowling Green Saturday (2 p.m.) before traveling to Ohio for a Tuesday (7 p.m.) matchup with the Bobcats.
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