Wednesday, December 01, 1999
Miami takes high-rated road
RedHawks play at 18th-ranked Tennessee tonight
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Chris Coles, son of Miami University coach Charlie Coles, follows the Mid-American Conference by watching the scores that CNN and ESPN run across the bottom of the screen.
“He was telling me Eastern Michigan played Hillsdale (Monday),” Coles said, “and Kent played Wisconsin-Parkside.”
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THE SKINNY
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• When: 7:35 p.m. today
• Where: Thompson-Boling Arena (24,535), Knoxville.
• Records: MU 1-1, UT 4-0
• TV: None
• Radio: WCKY-AM (1360), WMOH-AM (1450), WFMG-FM (101.3)
BY THE NUMBERS
• 90.5: Points per game Tennessee is averaging
• 2: Points Miami's Jason Stewart needs to go over 1,000 in the college career
• 9.5: Number of 3-point goals Miami is averaging through two games. The school record is 8.1 per game, set in 1993-94
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Some Mid-American coaches go that route, playing low-level teams to build confidence on during the pre-conference season. Coles does not. He sticks to pretty much a cupcake-free diet.
Tonight, for example, the RedHawks (1-1) go to Knoxville to play No. 18 Tennessee (4-0).
“I've always thought playing the better teams makes you better,” Coles said.
So he was willing to take a 2-for-1 deal with Tennessee. Two years ago, the Vols won 75-74 on a buzzer-beater. Miami beat them 68-62 in Oxford last season.
The Tennessee game is part of brutal season-opening stretch for Miami. The RedHawks opened with a 60-47 loss to No. 8 Temple. They got a light breather in a 75-59 road win over Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
The Tennessee game is followed by a game at Wisconsin-Green Bay, then home games with Xavier, Notre Dame and Wright State. The non-league schedule concludes with a game at Dayton.
No Hillsdales in that stretch.
“As long as it makes us better, that's fine,” Coles said.
And he feels like the RedHawks are getting better. Miami had a week off between the IUPUI game and tonight's game.
“I think the practice helped,” Coles said. “But I don't know how much it will show because we've got to go play the Tennessee Volunteers.”
Tennessee is big, athletic team.
“What scares me about this Tennessee team is they can score so quick,” Coles said. “We didn't see that from the other two years we played them. We have our hands full, but that's nothing new.”
UT has four players averaging in double figures. Vincent Yarbrough, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, leads the way at 15.8 points a game.
Yarbrough and 6-9 Isiah Victor give MU two matchup problems. Victor averages 14.5 points and a team-leading 9.5 rebounds. Tony Harris, the point guard, is averaging 15.2 points and nine assists.
Ron Slay, a 6-8 freshman, averages 11.8 points off the bench. Center C.J. Black, a 6-8 senior, averages 7.8 and 7.5 rebounds. “He's big, strong and sound,” Coles said.
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