After 10 losses to start conference play, Miami finally gets a win
Freshman guard Kayla Brown looks to fire a pass during Miami's 61-53 loss to Western Michigan in Miami's last home game on Jan. 31. Brown is second on the team with 8.2 points per game.
Photo by Connor Moriarty
By Daniel Taylor, For The Miami Student
For the first time since Dec. 29, when Miami University beat Davidson College, the RedHawks (4-18, 1-10 Mid-American Conference) felt what it was like to win.
Miami defeated Kent State University 69-53 for the 'Hawks first conference win of the season.
"It's nice to see everything come together for us," redshirt sophomore forward Tamira Ford said.
Kent State (3-19, 1-10 MAC) lost its eighth consecutive contest. The Golden Flashes now fall to the bottom of the MAC East and Miami is out of the gutter for the first time since conference play began.
The RedHawks found themselves down 13-6 with 15:10 remaining in the first. But Miami quickly turned it on from there, going on a 13-2 run to take a 19-15 lead.
After freshman guard Ana Richter nailed her second three of the half, the RedHawks took a 30-24 lead to half.
The Red and White shot 62.5 percent from the field in the second half, going 15-24. The RedHawks were able to outscore the Golden Flashes 39-29 and hold on for the win.
Freshman guard Baleigh Reid led the RedHawks on a night she played in front of her family, who made the trip from nearby Twinsburg.
Reid scored 15 points, going 4 of 12 from the field and adding six points via the charity stripe.
"We'd like to take that hometown crowd to Oxford with us," head coach Cleve Wright said.
Reid was not the only RedHawk in double figures. Junior forward Jessica Rupright had 12 and senior guard Courtney Larson added 11 of her own.
The RedHawks reward for getting its first conference win, the MAC leading Ohio University Bobcats.
Ohio (19-3, 10-1 MAC) currently sits atop the MAC East and carries a nine game winning streak into the Battle of the Bricks.
The Bobcats defeated Bowling Green State University 71-46 Wednesday evening.
OU is led by junior guard Kiyanna Black. Black averages 15.8 points per game, good for seventh in the MAC.
Sophomore guard Quiera Lampkins is right behind her.
Lampkins averages 13 points per game and leads the team in rebounds with 6.9 per game.
The task for Miami is going to be stopping, or at least limiting, Black and Lampkins.
"I don't think you're going to necessarily stop them," Wright said. "We've got to try to limit them."
Overall, Ohio comes into the game with the second best offense and defense in the conference. The Bobcats average 71.2 points per game and only allow 56.3, the largest margin in the conference at 14.9.
Miami is at the polar opposite end of the spectrum. The RedHawks score 53.6 per game, worst in the conference, and allow 66 per game, third worst in the MAC.
The game is also the second annual "Think Pink" game. The RedHawks and Zeta Tau Alpha sorority are trying to raise money for the local charity, Luna Cares. All of the money raised will stay in the Oxford area for patients battling breast cancer.
Tip is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Millett Hall.