By Mark Schmetzer
Enquirer contributor

OXFORD - Juby Johnson is paying the price for productivity.

OHIO at MIAMI

• Tipoff: 7 p.m. today, Millett Hall (9,200), Oxford. • Records: Ohio 12-14 (7-9 Mid-American Conference), Miami 13-12 (11-5 MAC). • Radio: WCKY-AM (1360), WMOH-AM (1450), WFMG-FM (101.3). • Series: Ohio leads 85-80. • Line: Miami by 6 1/2.

Johnson, Miami's leading scorer, matched his career high with26 points in the RedHawks' win at Eastern Michigan on Jan. 29. That sparked a five-game stretch during which the 6-foot-5 junior guard averaged 20.8 points while shooting 51.4 percent from the field, including 44.7 percent on 3-pointers.

In Miami's four games since then, Johnson has averaged just 10.3 points a game while shooting just 26.3 percent from the field, including 16 percent on 3-pointers. He reached what he hopes is the low point this past Saturday when he was 1-for-9, including 0-for-7 on 3-pointers, while scoring nine points in the RedHawks' 51-48 loss at Bowling Green.

"I couldn't buy a shot," Johnson said Tuesday, grimacing from the pain of a throbbing wisdom tooth.

He is hoping to get back on track tonight when the RedHawks (13-12, 11-5 Mid-American Conference), who cling to first place in the MAC East Division by a half-game over Kent State, wrap up their regular-season home schedule against archrival Ohio (12-14, 7-9) in a 7 p.m. game at Millett Hall. Seniors Brandon Hunter (Withrow), the nation's leading rebounder at 13.2 per game, and Steve Esterkamp (La Salle) lead the Bobcats.

Miami seniors Matt Jameson, Doug Williams and Bryan Reed will be honored in pregame ceremonies. Larry Drake, the fourth member of the program's first post-Wally Szczerbiak class, is still deciding whether to return for his fourth year of eligibility. Drake sat out his freshman season as an academic non-qualifier.

Sophomore forward Danny Horace (Western Hills) is expected to return to Miami's starting lineup after being suspended two games for his involvement in an altercation at Buffalo on Feb. 22.

Most of Johnson's problems stem from spending the season trying to free himself from the defenses used by opponents to slow him.

"They've been playing me real tough," Johnson said. "You just have to adapt. Right now, I'm not making shots."

"He's leaning back on his shots," coach Charlie Coles said. "Another thing is he's probably running around too much. He needs to slow down. Juby's a good offensive player and a smart offensive player, but he has a tendency to want to move too quickly. We've also got to do a better job of getting him better shots."

Coles pointed out that Johnson has displayed maturity by not forcing shots in an effort to snap out of the slump. Johnson is averaging 10.3 shots per game overall, 5.3 of them 3-pointers. He has dropped to 9.5 overall during the slump, but the work being done by opposing defenses is indicated by his increase to an average of 6.3 3-point shots per game.

Johnson averaged 14 shots, 7.6 of them 3-pointers, during his hot streak.

Johnson's return to form would be welcomed by the RedHawks, who will be facing a Bobcats team that has won three of its last four games and the last two in a row, including an upset of former Xavier coach Pete Gillen's Virginia team.

Today's lineups:

OHIO	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Brandon Hunter	Sr.	6-7	21.6
Steve Esterkamp	Sr.	6-6	14.3
Jaivon Harris	Jr.	6-5	7.6
Jaff Halbert	Fr.	6-5	6.1
Thomas Stephens	Sr.	6-0	5.6

Coach: Tim O'Shea (28-25, second season; same overall).

MIAMI	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Juby Johnson	Jr.	6-5	14.2
Danny Horace	So.	6-5	12.0
Chet Mason	Jr.	6-3	9.2
Josh Hausfeld	Fr.	6-3	6.7
Bryan Reed	Sr.	6-6	2.6

Coach: Charlie Coles (120-90, seventh season; 212-174 overall).