Tuesday, December 19, 2000
Former player sets sights on Miami
Wright State coach seeks Division I win
By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Ed Schilling has had some big wins in his three seasons at Wright State. Heck, the Raiders pulled the upset of the season last year when they beat Michigan State, which went on to win a the national championship. But a win tonight against Miami would be super sweet for Schilling and the Raiders.
Schilling is a Miami grad.
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MIAMI at WRIGHT ST.
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• When: 9:05 p.m. today
• Where: Nutter Center (10,632), Dayton, Ohio
• Records: MU (4-4), WSU (7-1)
• TV: Fox Sports Net
• Radio: WCKY-AM (1360), WMOH-AM (1450)
MIAMI
Player-Ht-Yr-Avg
Matt Jameson-6-0-So.-4.4
J.Grunkemeyer-6-5-Sr.-11.8
Alex Shorts -6-8-Sr.-13.3
Julius Johnson-6-6-Fr.-4.9
Mike Ensminger-6-6-Sr.-6.3
Coach: Charlie Coles (fifth year, 81-48, 173-132 overall)
Wright State
Player-Ht-Yr-Avg
Kevin Melson-6-6-Sr.-16.4
Thomas Hope-6-8-So.-3.6
Israel Sheinfeld-6-11-Jr.-17.6
Vernard Hollins-6-3-So.-10.0
Jesse Deister-6.3-Jr.-14.1
Coach: Ed Schilling (fourth year 37-54, same overall)
BY THE NUMBERS
• 68: Least number of points Wright State has scored this year; and the most number of points Miami has allowed this year
• .517: Percentage Wright State is shooting from the floor
• 290: Weight in pounds of WSU center Sheinfeld
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“You always want to do well against your old school,” he said.
Wright State (7-1) hasn't played great competition this season. Its loss was at South Alabama; among its wins are Greenville (Ill.), Alabama A&M, Prairie View and High Point.
“(But) they have a good team,” Miami coach Charlie Coles said. “A real nice team, probably their best team in three or four years.”
That's according to plan. When Schilling was hired, he signed for five seasons.
Schilling has coached almost since the day he graduated from Miami. He was 23 years old when he took over as head coach at Western Boone High in Indiana. He went on to three seasons at Logansport High in Indiana.
He got into the college ranks as an assistant to John Calipari at Mas sachusetts. He followed Calipari to the NBA's New York Knicks.
Wright State hired him before the 1997-98 season. The team was coming off some rough times.
“They didn't want a quick fix,” Schilling said. “They wanted to build a program that consistently made the NCAA Tournament, but they wanted it done without sacrificing the integrity of the school to do it.”
Schilling's teams went 10-18, 9-18 and 10-17 the previous three seasons.
All five starters returned from last season. Kevin Melson, a 6-foot-6 forward, was 20th in the nation in scoring last season. He and 6-11, 290-pound center Israel Sheinfeld give WSU two good scoring options.
Sheinfeld averages 17.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Melson averages 16.4 points and 7.1 rebounds.
“Melson is very athletic,” Coles said. “They're probably more athletic than Notre Dame. But they're not as good inside as Notre Dame.”
Miami has not played since upsetting No.10 Notre Dame 73-64 10 days ago.
Coles does not expect point guard Doug Davis, who sprained his foot before the Notre Dame game, to play tonight. He was expected to miss a week to 10 days, but has been too sore to practice.
Schilling took his team to Millett Hall last season, The Raiders lost 72-61.
“Going back to Millett was very emotional,” said Schilling, who played at Miami from 1984-88. “But, once the ball went up in the air, it was like any other game.”
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