Thursday, March 04, 1999
MIAMI NOTEBOOK
Grunkemeyer may be done for year
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
TOLEDO — Jason Grunkemeyer didn't play in the Mid-American Conference Tournament finals Wednesday night. Andthough Miami has at least eight days off before the NCAA Tournament, it's not a given that he'll return.
“He may be done for the year,” Miami coach Charlie Coles said.
Grunkemeyer, Miami's top three-point shooter, fell to the floor getting a rebound against Bowling Green Feb. 20. That injury led to back spasms Sunday.
The spasms were so severe he was hospitalized. He hasn't practiced since and has been moving very gingerly.
Wally All-American
Sports Illustrated named Wally Szczerbiak first-team All-American. Szczerbiak was also featured on ESPN's SportsCenter before Wednesday's MAC final.
Inside stuff
One of Miami's biggest problems this year has been the lack of a scoring threat other than Szczerbiak or Damon Frierson. That hasn't been the case lately.
John Estick, a 6-foot-6 forward, has been in double figures in four of his last five games.
In that span, he is averaging 12.4 points and 8.2 rebounds and is shooting 58 percent from the field.
“Teams double-team Wally and Damon,” Estick said. “That opens things up for me.”
Estick, a senior from Brewster, N.Y., struggled with foul trouble Wednesday night. He was limited to 18 minutes. But he had 10 points and five rebounds.
RPI update
Miami's RPI entering Wednesday's final was 22nd. Kent's was 33rd.
The RPI is a duplication of the system the NCAA selection committee uses to pick and seed teams for the NCAA Tournament.
A ranking of 22 would mean a sixth seed for Miami, its highest ever.
Assist man
Rob Mestas had a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in the MAC Tourney. Mestas only had two turnovers in 113 minutes.
But he was 2-for-11 from three-point range, despite some wide open looks.
1984 reunion
Kent and Miami met once before in the MAC final in 1984, Ron Harper's senior year. Miami won that one on a 40-foot shot by Chuck Stahl at the buzzer.
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