Tuesday, February 01, 2000RedHawks searching for consistency
Coles says Miami needs 'A' game every night
BY PETE HOLTERMANN
Enquirer ContributorFebruary has been a pretty good month for Charlie Coles during his coaching career at Miami.
In his first three seasons with the RedHawks, his teams have posted a 19-7 record, the best for any month.
Miami enters this February with a 10-8 record overall and 6-4 mark in the Mid-American Conference, putting the RedHawks in a tie for fourth in the East Division.
TOLEDO at MIAMI • When: 7 p.m.
• Where: Millett Hall (9,200)
• Records: Toledo 9-12 (3-7 Mid-American Conference); Miami 10-8 (6-4)
• TV: None
• Radio: WMOH-AM (1450), WFMG-FM (101.3)
BY THE NUMBERS
• 4: Number of MAC losses for Miami.
• 4: Average margin of defeat for Miami in each conference loss.
• 54.3: Average points Miami has allowed in the past three games.“We're hoping we play well this month because we have to,” Coles said. “We've got eight games in February, and they're going to be real important and highly contested. Our team is going to have to get their "A' game out and play with that every night.”
An improving Toledo squad visits Millett Hall tonight to usher in the new month. After losing six in a row, the Rockets (9-12, 3-7) have won two straight games, including a 65-52 win at Kent on Saturday.
Toledo's turnaround has coincided with the return of forward Greg Stempin, who had missed four games with a strained elbow.
“They didn't win much with out him,” Coles said. “Now that he's back, it makes them a very good team.”
Justin Hall also has played a key role in the Rockets' resurgence, as he earned MAC Offensive Player of the Week honors for last week. Hall scored a career-high 27 points against Northern Illinois, and followed with an 8-for-12 shooting night for 19 points against Kent.
The RedHawks may not have the services of their top 3-point threat, Jason Grunkemeyer, for the Toledo game. The junior guard has been bothered by a strained elbow lately, and Coles expects Grunkemeyer's availability to be a game-time decision.
Coles is hoping his team gets off to a good start against Toledo.
“We've been playing pretty hard,” Coles said. “We just got off to a horrible start (at Western). We have to get off to a better start against Toledo.”
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