BG MBB vs Miami Preview, Part II

 BG is back to the floor with the Miami RedHawks from Millett Hall.

BG played Miami on January 8 and won in OT at the Stroh.  If you don't recall, BG generally had the better of the play, but couldn't put it away as Miami rallied late in regulation to get the game to OT and then BG had a 4-point lead in OT and really need one hoop to put it away but instead had three empty possessions and ended up need clutch Gordon FTs to close the door.

Miami was picked to be #6 in the MAC this year and then opened with an ACC road win @Ga Tech.  That hasn't aged well, as the Yellow Jackets have not ended up having a good year. 

The RedHawks lost five straight in pre-MAC play and did the same in MAC play.  They are 4-8 in MAC play after breaking that 5-game winning streak with a win over WMU and even in that one they by 9 well into the second half before rallying to beat the winless Broncos.

The losing streak coincided with the injury to Dalonte Brown, who has missed the last six, essentially.  In the Miami student paper this week, Owens said that there is no timetable for his return, which suggests he will not play today.  You never know.  If he is out, it will be a relief for BG not to see him over there, as the Bowsher grad has made a living on us.  He scored 24 in the first meeting,  He scored 29 and 17 against BG last year and 20 in one game the year before that.

The first game was kind of a typical BG game, slightly outshot but excellent on turnovers with a strong game at the FT line added in. It was a good defensive game for BG, holding Miami to 1.02 points per possession. 

They came into that game as a high-scoring offense.  During the Brown injury, their offense has completely cratered.  They have been below .97 points per possession in each of those games. Their shooting, in particular, has led the decline.

In MAC play, they are 11th in shooting, offensive rebounding and free throw rate.  They take a lot of 3FGS.but are just average at making them.  They make 81% of their FTs, #4 in the country.

Defensively they are easy to shoot against and rebound against.  They do force some turnovers.

In the first meeting, Plowden double-double at 27 and 10 and Reece had 20 and 10.  Aside from Brown, Dae Dae Grant had 26 in the first game.

You have two teams who need a win.  BG and Miami are tied in the loss column for the last ticket to Cleveland.