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Javon McCrea, above, drives the lane during Miami's 52-51 win over Buffalo. Below, Miami defenders halt a McCrae drive. Bottom left, Vince Legarza puts up a shot. Photos by Mike Smith.

“We had to get this one – no matter what it took,” said sophomore guard Quinten Rollins, one of three RedHawks in double figures.  Freshman Brian Sullivan led all scorers with 17 points and sophomore center Drew McGhee dropped in 11 markers as Miami (5-10, 1-2 MAC) held on for its first league win after squandering second half leads in previous MAC outings against Akron and Kent State.
 

“Our players needed that, and I think I did, too,” MU head coach Charlie Coles said. “I figured (we) were so anxious (for a win) … and Buffalo was coming off a loss … so it was going to be a tug-of-war.” 

Buffalo (8-6, 1-2 MAC) came into the contest leading the league with a 75.8 ppg average.  Miami, which lost three potential starters almost before it began play this season ranked 10th (61.4 ppg.). To make matters worse, sophomore forward Josh Sewell was unavailable due to an academic issue.  The 6-5 swingman is averaging 8.2 ppg. 3.3 rebounds and 26.9 minutes per game.

With Sewell  getting zero minutes, three RedHawks went the distance; Mavunga, Sullivan and Rollins all played 40 minutes. Jon Harris logged 38 minutes, while McGee (28 minutes) was the only starter under the 30 mark.

Buffalo out-shot the RedHawks (percentage-wise) in both halves. The Bulls connected on 46.2 percent in before intermission and 53.8 percent in the second half for a game mark of 48.7 percent from the field.

Miami made 39.1 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes and 35.8 percent after the break. The game percentage was 38.8 percent – nearly 10 points below the Bulls.

Buffalo also had a 32-22 advantage in rebounds and converted four more free throws on the evening.  Still, Miami equaled UB in total field goals (19) thanks to the turnover factor. Buffalo committed 21 turnovers to Miami’s 12. It led to a 20-6 RedHawks advantage in points off turnovers. Miami also got a little more mileage with its field goals, hitting 6-of-18 from behind the arc while Buffalo went 1-for-10 from long range.

The Bulls did most of their damage inside. Using back-door cuts and pick-and-rolls, Buffalo dotted the shot chart with 34 points in the paint. Miami, meanwhile, managed 24 points in the paint against a Buffalo zone that limited Mavunga to nine shots. The senior made just two, along with four free throws, as he failed to reach double figures for the first time this season.

Javon McCrea netted 16 to lead Buffalo. Mitchell Watt, who hit 6-of-9 from the field, added 15 and Titus Robinson came off the bench to contribute 10 for the Bulls. Guard Zach Filzen, who entered the contest averaging 13.0 ppg, connected on just one basket for two points.

Watt scored two baskets in the final 1:49 of the first half to put the Bulls up, 26-23, after 20 minutes. The visitors were up by four when Sullivan began a 9-2 Miami run with a 3-point goal at 17:02. Sullivan hit 6-of-12 from the field, including 5-of-9 outside the arc.

“I’ve been shooting the ball lately,” said Sullivan, adding that his offensive job is easier when he plays the two-guard spot. “It’s crazy how good we click, because in practice, we’re always against each other. … Q (Rollins) ran us and we kept getting good shots.

Buffalo responded and forged a 37-all tie at 10:02 on a layup by Dave Barnett.

A pair of free throws by Robinson at 4:39 gave Buffalo its final lead of the night, 45-44, and Watt added a jumper at 3:49.

Another Sullivan 3-ball quickly tied the game (47-47) for the 11th and final time of the contest, and Mavunga made one free throw at 2:41.

Bulls coach Reggie Witherspoon called a time-out on the next UB possession, but the Bulls ended up losing the ball on a shot clock violation. Miami, however, gave the ball right back when Rollins was whistled for a player control foul.

Dave Barnett’s layup attempt at 1:31 was rebounded by Sullivan, and the RedHawks took their own time out. Shortly after play resumed, Mavunga found Jon Harris in the corner, and the sophomore drained a trey to give MU a 51-47 lead.

It was Harris’ only basket of the night as he finished 1-of-7 from the field. “It was just a huge shot,” Sullivan said of Harris’s basket.

Harris missed a trey attempt on the next MU possession following two Watt free throws that pulled Buffalo within two at the :53 mark.

Jarold Oldham stepped on the baseline while driving on the following UB possession, forcing the Bulls to foul with eight seconds remaining. Rollins then made one of two, nudging the lead out to 52-49. Barnett got off a 3-point attempt from the corner, but it bounced off the rim. McCrea’s tip-in at the buzzer left the Bulls one-point short.