MEN'S BASKETBALL: Bulls still winless in MAC play

Staff Reports
Greater Niagara Newspapers

January 20, 2008 09:57 pm

— The University at Buffalo men’s basketball team continued two losing streaks Sunday, falling 64-57 at Miami (Ohio). The Bulls are now 0-9 this season on the road and haven’t won a true away game since the beginning of last season, a 17-game stretch. It was also Buffalo’s fourth straight loss in Mid-American Conference play.
A layup by Greg Gamble (Niagara Falls) cut Miami’s lead to 47-46 in the second half, but the RedHawks responded with six unanswered points and Buffalo could get no closer.
“It was a defensive battle,” UB head coach Reggie Witherspoon said in a release. “Miami did an excellent job maintaining their poise in their decision making and we didn’t. I think that was the most deciding factor from our standpoint.”
Miami head coach Charlie Coles registered his 200th win at the helm of the RedHawks program. Junior guard Kenny Hayes led the RedHawks with a season-high 20 points. Also for Miami (7-9 overall, 1-3 MAC), senior forward Tim Pollitz scored 18 points and had eight rebounds, four assists and four steals.
Neither team shot better than 40 percent in the game. Buffalo went especially cold in the second half, shooting just 10-for-36 (27.8 percent). The Bulls also failed to score any fast-break points.
UB (6-10, 0-4) was led by Calvin Betts, who had 12 points and nine rebounds. Sean Smiley finished with 13 points — including three 3-pointers — and five rebounds. Jawaan Alston got the first start of his career in place of the injured Kambi Laleye. Alston finished with three points, four rebounds and a steal in 18 minutes.
UB outrebounded Miami, 43-42, but 17 turnovers by the Bulls led to 20 Miami points. Miami also outscored Buffalo in the paint, 30-22.
Buffalo returns home to face Ohio at 7 p.m. Thursday.

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