MBB: Miami Preview

 So, the BG MBB bus rolls into Oxford, OH, for a game against the Miami RedHawks.

Miami was once the most successful program in the MAC. In the years since BG made the NCAA tournament in 1968, Miami has made the NCAAs 12 times.    The last one was in 2007.  Since the end of the Coles years, things have been tough in Oxford.  In the last 14 years, they have one winning season overall and that was the COVID year.  There are 3 winning MAC records in that time.  It just hasn't been good.

They hired Travis Steele after he was fired from Xavier and he is in his second year.  They had a rough year last year.  His plan was to re-tool a little bit...he's having some mixed results this year.

Their top scorer graduated, and then late in the pre-season, last year's second-leading scorer, Morgan Safford left school, reportedly to transfer to Kent.

They are 8-8 and 6-8 in D1 games. They are 2-2 in the MAC.  They have two of the most improbable outcomes---a buzzer beater win over Vermont and then blowing a huge lead to UT.  In the MAC they lost to WMU in Oxford and @ UT, and then won @UB and over EMU in Oxford.  FWIW, they beat EMU by 17.  Kenpom is 236 and BG is 203.

This is the 151st time BG and Miami have played.  The history is replete with drama and agony, mostly on our side. The teams have split the last 10.  BG's last win in Millett was 2018.  The teams split the games last year on home court lines.

Miami plays 68 possessions and BG at 69, so that should be pretty close.  Miami is not great on either side.  National average is 1.05, so they are near the average on offense and well below on defense, and BG is nearer on both.  The bigger spread is when BG has the ball.  The Falcons are above average in four of their last 5 games, so you'd like to see them take advantage.

Miami shoots the ball really well.  They are #45 in the country in EFG. They take 41% from 3FG, and are #21 in making them.  They also make 52% from 2FG. They are average on turnovers and terrible on offensive rebounds. They are pretty average getting to the line and make 72%, which is decent.  This will be a test for the BG defense, which has had subpar games in 3 of 4 conference games.  BG is #56 in defensive rebounding in the country and #61 in keeping teams off the line.

The other side looks pretty evenly matched.  Miami defends the 3FG really well--#19 in the country.  Which is OK, because BG isn't used to making 3s anyway. They are #318 defending the 2FG, which is a good opportunity for BG.  They are also not good on the offensive boards...offensive rebounding has been the difference in two close MAC wins for BG.  BG does get to the line, and FT shooting seems to be ticking up.  They key will be scoring in the paint.

Anderson Mirambeaux is their leading scorer.  You will remember him as the 6'8" and 305 pound mountain man.  He is scoring 13.9 PPG shooting 56% on almost all 2FGs.  He only averages 3.3 RPG. Darweshi Hunter, who transferred from NIU, is scoring 12.3 PPG on 46% and 41% shooting.  Their leading rebounder is Bryce Bultman, a DII transfer.  averages 5.3 RPG and 8.8 PPG.  He also leads the team with 46 assists.

They are #338 in the country in D1 experience.

On we go.