Monday, February 25, 2002
Miami fighting to stay at home
Hosting MAC tourney game top team goal
By Ian Duthie
Enquirer contributor
Despite losing four straight games and dealing with the distraction of Alex Shorts being gone one day and back the next, Miami coach Charlie Coles still has high goals for this team.
“A lot of people and fans have given up on us,” Coles said. “But we believe we still have a lot to play for.”
With two regular season games remaining, Coles is focused on securing a home game for the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament.
Miami (11-16, 8-8 MAC) currently sits in seventh place. Seeds four through eight host first round games, while the top three teams automatically advance.
Along with Buffalo, which Miami plays tonight at 7 p.m., Toledo (9-7), Wetern Michigan (8-8) and Northern Illinois (7-9) are fighting to host a home tournament game.
Playing at home would greatly help Miami's chances of advancing to Cleveland for the second part of the MAC Tournament — another team goal.
“Consistency is something we battled all year”, said Coles. “We want to play at home and feel more comfortable.”
Miami is 8-3 at home this season, and 2-11 on the road.
If the RedHawks reach their first two goals, the team would be in position to make a run in the conference tournament.
“As a senior, you see less and less games on the schedule and you don't want it to end,” senior Doug Davis said. “We still have a chance to stretch out the end.”
Miami has proven it's capable of stringing together victories in the MAC Tournament, reaching the finals five straight years. Last season, Miami advanced as a No.8 seed, and the year before that as a No.11 seed.
Don't think other coaches around the league don't know this.
“Charlie is the coaching guru of this conference,” said Kent State's first-year coach Stan Heath, whose team has already clinched the top seed. “Something tells me if they get to Cleveland, nobody is going to be real excited about playing them. He always gets his kids to play their best down the stretch.”
First things first. Miami can take a major step toward earning a home game by beating Buffalo tonight at Millett.
Buffalo is right on the heals of Miami in the standings as it looks to secure a home game of its own. At 8-8 in the MAC, Miami holds a one-game edge on the eighth place Bulls, who stand 7-9.
In their meeting on Feb. 6, Miami played well, winning 66-52 and earning its last road win.
A victory and a season sweep of Buffalo would assure Miami a higher seed than the Bulls.
A loss essentially moves Buffalo ahead of Miami in the conference standings due to tiebreakers.
Buffalo's victory over conference leader Kent State (15-1) would temporarily position them ahead of Miami. The RedHawks play Kent State in their finale next Saturday.
Kent State is expected to earn an NCAA bid regardless of its performance in the MAC tournament.
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Miami fighting to stay at home
