Feb. 23, 2010

Athens, Ohio - The Ohio University men's basketball team (15-13, 5-8 MAC) battles Miami (12-15, 8-5 MAC) on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in round two of the annual Battle of the Bricks at the Convo.

Ohio
Armon Bassett scored 26 points, 20 in the second half, to lead Ohio to a 64-59 win over Wright State on Saturday. A three-pointer by Bassett, who didn't start but played 36 minutes, gave the Bobcats a 53-50 lead with 4:07 left. Bassett hit another 3-pointer to make it 56-52 with 1:32 left after two free throws.

DeVaughn Washington added 16 points and seven rebounds as Ohio won their fourth in the last five games at home. The Bobcats held Wright State to one of their worst shooting performances on the season (19-60, 31.7%), while managing to make 58 percent of their field goals in the deciding second half.

Miami
Antonio Ballard scored 12 points and three others reached double figures as Miami defeated Southeast Missouri 69-53 on Saturday. Julian Mavunga and Orlando Williams each scored 11 points, and Kenny Hayes added 10 for Miami, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Nick Winbush contributed with 13 rebounds.

Miami led 40-32, then put the game out of reach with a 22-6 run for a 62-38 lead after a layup by Ballard with 4:10 to play. Miami shot 50 percent (10-for-20) in the first half and made 43.4 percent for the game (23-for-53).

Series History
This will be the 185th meeting between these two archrivals. "The Battle of the Bricks" is an annual all-sports rivalry competition between the Ohio and Miami athletic programs. The name "Battle of the Bricks" evolved from each school's reputation of having a campus of red brick buildings. The hardwood series started in 1908 and the Bobcats lead the overall series, 95-89. Ohio has won five of the last six in the Convo but the teams have split the last 20 overall meetings.

Last Convo Meeting
Steven Coleman scored 21 points, leading five Ohio players in double figures, as the Bobcats beat Miami 75-56, holding the RedHawks to 19 points in the second half. Justin Orr and Jerome Tillman had 13 points apiece for Ohio and Michael Allen and Tommy Freeman each had 10.

Michael Bramos led Miami with 16 points and Tyler Dierkers had 14.

It was Ohio's first season sweep of Miami since the 1999-2000 season.

Miami stayed close in the first half, trailing just 41-37 at halftime. But Allen hit a 3-pointer and a traditional three-point play on consecutive possessions to make it 49-40 early in the second half, and Miami went more than eight minutes without a field goal as Ohio widened a double-digit lead.

Earlier This Season
Julian Mavunga scored 18 points and Antonio Ballard recorded a double-double, helping Miami coach Charlie Coles set a new Mid-American Conference career wins record with a 79-67 victory. It was Coles' 195th win, propelling him into first place on the all-time MAC wins list. Coles, in his 14th season leading Miami, became the all-time leader in victories for the RedHawks on Jan. 2, 2009.

The RedHawks had a season-high four players score in double figures. Kenny Hayes finished with 16 points, Adam Fletcher had 13 and Ballard added 11. He also grabbed 13 rebounds. Miami was down eight at the break, but used a 17-0 spurt coming out of halftime to run away with the game.

D.J. Cooper scored 22 points to lead the Bobcats, who opened MAC play on a three-game skid.

Next
The Bobcats hit the road this weekend for a game on Saturday night at 7 p.m. against Buffalo. It will be the final regular-season road game for Ohio.