March 13, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

ABOUT OHIO: Ohio enters Thursday's game with a 19-11 overall record and finished Mid-American Conference play with a 9-7 league mark. The Bobcats are led by Leon Williams, who averages 16.2 ppg, 9.6 rpg and has a .610 field goal percentage. Jerome Tillman follows, averaging 13.0 ppg and 7.3 rpg. Bubba Walther is the other Bobcat to average double figures in scoring, averaging 12.2 ppg. Ohio is 2-1 when playing on a neutral court this year with wins against St. Johns (71-69) and Louisiana-Lafayette (74-68) and a loss to St. Mary's (63-70) in the Rainbow Classic.

THE SERIES WITH THE BOBCATS: Thursday marks the 181st meeting between Miami and Ohio with the Bobcats holding a 93-87 lead in the all-time series, which is the most-played series in Miami men's basketball history. When playing on a neutral site, Ohio owns a 6-3 edge. Ohio won the meeting between the teams in Athens earlier this season, 72-63, while the RedHawks won the most-recent meeting 73-47, which was played in Oxford. Miami won the last neutral site meeting between the teams, which was in the 2007 MAC Tournament Quarterfinals, 70-51.

MIAMI VS. OHIO IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT: Thursday marks the fourth consecutive meeting in the Mid-American Conference Tournament between the schools and the sixth time in the last eight years. Miami is 2-5 all-time in tournament play against Ohio with its first win occurring in the semifinals of the 2001 MAC Tournament when the RedHawks defeated the Bobcats 62-61 and last year in the quarterfinals, 70-51. This is the third consecutive year the teams have met in quarterfinal action and the fourth time in series history.

MIAMI VS. OHIO IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT
OHIO (2-5)
1985	L	64-74	Toledo, Ohio	F
1994	L	66-89	Columbus, Ohio	F
2001	W	62-61	Cleveland, Ohio	S
2003	(OT) L	55-65	Cleveland, Ohio	Q
2005	L	56-63	Cleveland, Ohio	S
2006	L	58-73	Cleveland, Ohio	Q
2007	W	70-51	Cleveland, Ohio	Q

REDHAWKS EARN FIRST WIN AS A NO. 5 SEED: With a 69-68 win against Buffalo in the first round of the 2008 Mid-American Conference Tournament, Miami University's men's basketball team posted its first win as a No. 5 seed. Miami was also a No. 5 seed in 1983, 1987 and 1989, falling in the quarterfinal round each year, which was its opening game of the tournament.

MIAMI ADVANCES TO 2Oth STRAIGHT QUARTERFINAL ROUND: The RedHawks' first-round win against the Bulls advanced Miami to the MAC Tournament quarterfinals for the 20th consecutive season. The last five years Miami had earned first-round byes to advance to the quarterfinals.

MIAMI IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS: Miami is 15-9 (.625) when playing in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals. The RedHawks have won three of their last four quarterfinals games, including a 70-51 win against Ohio last year. Ohio defeated Miami in the 2006 MAC quarterfinals, 73-58.

20/20 VISION: Miami had two players score 20 or more points in its first-round game against Buffalo. Junior forward Michael Bramos led all scorers with 23 points, while senior forward Tim Pollitz amassed 20 points. It was the 10th time this season Bramos has scored 20 or more points, and the eighth 20-point scoring effort for Pollitz this season.

BRAMOS MOVES UP ON SINGLE-SEASON BLOCKED SHOT CHART: With his three blocked shots against Buffalo, junior forward Michael Bramos moved into a tie for eighth on Miami's single-season list with 39. He is just two shy of his 2006-07 total of 41, which is seventh on the RedHawks' single-season chart.

MAC TOURNAMENT PLAYER NOTES: 1 Rodney Haddix: Did not see action.

2 Tyler Dierkers: Played 28 minutes and amassed six points, six rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot. All are MAC Tournament highs for Dierkers.

3 Kenny Hayes: One of three RedHawks to score in double figures against Buffalo, scoring 11 points. Knocked down the go-ahead jumper against Buffalo with 3:01 to play. Added two rebounds and one assist in 34 minutes of action.

4 Alex Moosmann: Came off the bench to play a solid 20 minutes for the RedHawks. Recorded one assist against the Bulls.

5 Carl Richburg: Played in his first MAC Tournament game, seeing three minutes of action.

10 Isiah Carson: Did not see action.

11 Sean Mock: Did not see action.

20 Nick Winbush: Saw four minutes of action in his first MAC tournament game and hauled in one rebound.

21 Eric Pollitz: Played in his fifth career MAC Tournament game, making his first start in MAC Tourney action. Recorded nine points and two rebounds over 29 minutes.

22 Dwight McCombs: Recorded a blocked shot and a rebound in 10 minutes of action against Buffalo.

24 Michael Bramos: Led all scorers with 23 points in his fifth MAC Tournament game and made his fourth MAC Tournament start. Added three blocked shots, three rebounds and a steal in 33 minutes of action. Averaging 13.4 ppg for his career in MAC Tournament games. Sunk 7-of-7 free throws against the Bulls and is shooting 94.7 percent from the line for his career in MAC Tournament play.

41 Adam Fletcher: Played two minutes in his second career MAC Tournament appearance.

50 Tim Pollitz: Amassed 20 points against the Bulls, playing in his fifth career MAC Tournament game. Has scored 20 or more points in three career MAC Tourney games. Led Miami with seven rebounds and four assists. Were his most assists in MAC Tournament play. Also had two steals in 37 minutes of action.