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Basketball

Miami RedHawks Welcome Purdue to Millett Hall on Tuesday

2024-12-15

The Miami University women's basketball team is all set to welcome Big Ten foe Purdue to Millett Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. This marks the first power-5 program to visit the hall since 2013 when Florida State was hosted. The team has been performing exceptionally well, with players like Enjulina Gonzalez and Amber Tretter making significant contributions.

Finding Her Groove: Enjulina Gonzalez's Recent Performance

Over her past two games, Enjulina Gonzalez has been on fire. She has averaged an impressive 24.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. In a loss to Western Kentucky, she scored 22 points, and in a win at Dayton, she added a career-best 27 points. Her shooting has been on point too, as she is 20-of-38 from the field and 6-of-10 from behind the arc over these two contests. This shows her growing confidence and skill on the court.Moreover, her impact goes beyond just scoring. Her presence on the court creates opportunities for her teammates and helps the team's overall performance. Her ability to score in crucial moments has been a key factor in the team's recent wins and losses.

Double Trouble: Amber Tretter's Impressive Stats

Last season, as a true freshman, Amber Tretter recorded 10 double-doubles. Her 222 rebounds were the most in a single-season by a freshman in program history. This season, despite playing only 24.0 minutes per contest, she is nearly averaging a double-double in points (12.0) and rebounds (7.7). Her 62.5% field goal percentage ranks 13th in the country. Her defensive skills are also remarkable, as she leads the team in blocks with 0.9 per game. Amber's all-round performance makes her a vital player for the team.

Series with Purdue: A Battle of the Schools

This will be the 10th meeting between Miami and Purdue, and Purdue holds a 7-2 all-time series advantage. The last time Miami faced Purdue was on Dec. 19, 2021, where they lost 82-76. The last time Purdue visited Miami was on Dec. 2, 1982, and Miami won that game 86-67. Both teams have been through different phases since then, and this upcoming match is sure to be a thrilling encounter.

Offensive Explosion: Miami's Improvements This Season

This season, Miami is averaging 71.6 points, a significant increase from last year's average of 53.9 points. The improvement can be attributed to several factors, including three-point shooting, assists, and rebounds. The team is connecting on 7.2 three-pointers per game this season, compared to 4.9 last year. They are also outrebounding their opponents by 4.1 boards per game, which is a major improvement from last year's -3.8. Additionally, Miami is averaging 15.3 assists per game, which shows their improved ball movement and teamwork.

The Magnificent Seven: New Faces and Their Impact

Coach Box added seven new faces to the 2024-25 season, and their impact was felt immediately. Six of Miami's top seven scorers are newcomers this season, and six of the top eight rebounders were on a different team a year ago. Freshman Tamar Singer, sophomore Enjulina Gonzalez, and senior Maya Chandler have been key contributors, with 62 of Miami's 107 assists this season. Their energy and skills have added a new dimension to the team.

1,000 Point Club: Maya Chandler's Career Achievements

Maya Chandler has scored 1,071 career points between three different programs. With the RedHawks, she has scored 45 points. In one season at SMU, she had 149 points, and in three years at Loyola-Chicago, she scored 877 points and was named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in 2020-21. She has played in 124 games throughout her career, making 104 starts. Her experience and scoring ability make her a valuable asset to the team.

Hanging Around: Senior Katey Richason's Growth

Senior Katey Richason, along with Clare Chambers, are the lone remaining players from before Coach Box's arrival. Richason has made the most of the change in leadership. Last season, as a native of Zionsville, Ind., she recorded career-bests in points (8.7), rebounds (5.7), and free throws made (34). Her growth and consistency over the years have been crucial for the team.

Redhawks Picked Eighth in Preseason Poll

Miami was picked eighth in the preseason coaches poll. Ball State finished atop the preseason rankings with 120 points, followed by Kent State (104), Buffalo (98), Bowling Green (96), Toledo (82), Northern Illinois (64), Ohio (64), Miami (44), Akron (43), Western Michigan (34), Eastern Michigan (23), and Central Michigan (20). This shows the team's challenge ahead but also their potential to prove the doubters wrong.

After a prolonged absence from Coleman Coliseum, the highly ranked 8th Alabama Crimson Tide emerged victorious against the loathed Creighton Blue Jays on a Saturday night. Their last home game was on November 11th when they triumphed over McNesse. This win marked their first over Creighton in four attempts, with Coach Nate Oats improving to 1-2 against the Blue Jays.

Alabama's Dominance on the Court

First Half Struggles and Comebacks

The Tide began the game with solid defense, focusing on Creighton's big man Ryan Kalkbrenner, who averaged 17.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Aiden Sherrell made an early impact with a three-point shot, giving the Tide a 16-10 lead. However, Sherrell's shooting became erratic as he took more shots, finishing 1-9 from the field and 1-5 from deep in just 10 minutes.Youngblood's entry after the under 16 timeout was a game-changer. He hit his first three-pointer with 13 minutes left in the half, extending the Tide's lead to 16-7. Mo Dioubate and Omouryi also contributed, and when Sears made his first three-pointer, Bama led 27-10. But then, the Tide's offense faltered as they started taking quick three-point shots and missing them, allowing the Blue Jays to make a comeback. At halftime, the visitors had closed the gap to six points at 37-31. The Tide scored only nine points in the last eight plus minutes of the period.

Second Half Resurgence and Final Moments

In the second half, the Tide started well again with Sears hitting an early three to set the tone. They led 51-39 with 16 minutes remaining. A Derrion Reid dunk and another three from Sears gave the Tide a comfortable 68-55 lead with 5:10 left. But Creighton's 6'10" freshman Jackson McAndrew turned into a scoring machine, hitting three-pointer after three-pointer to keep the Jays in the game. Omoruyi and Sears sealed the deal with clutch free throw shooting to hold off the comeback attempt.

Player Performances

Sears had an outstanding game, scoring 27 points on 8-15 shooting with 4-7 from deep, along with six rebounds, four assists, and only one turnover in 34 minutes. He was named player of the game and won the Hard Hat Award. Philon was dominant at the rim, scoring 16 points with five rebounds and two assists. Reid played tough defense and scored 12 points with four rebounds and two assists. Nelson shot 1-6 but led the team with 10 rebounds. Omoruyi protected the rim well without fouling and scored eight points with four rebounds in 25 minutes. Youngblood played 16 minutes and scored five points, trying to get back in form.

Creighton's Performance

In the second half, Creighton shot 16-29 for 55% with 6-15 for 40% from deep and 6-7 free throws. Overall, they finished 27-60 for 45%, 8-27 for 30% from three, and 13-16 for 81% at the line. Pint-sized guard Steven Ashworth led with 20 points and nine assists. Kalkbrenner had 18 points and seven rebounds, but the Tide did a good job of controlling him. McAndrew scored 16 points in 19 minutes with 5-8 shooting from behind the arc. Jamiya Neal added 13 points and eight rebounds.

Coach's Perspective

After the game, Oats said, "We started great in both halves, but didn't finish either the way we should." He praised Sears for his best game and added that only three players scored in double figures, with two being freshmen in Philon and Reid. He noted that they need to work on the freshman mistakes. Oats also felt that this win would be significant in March. Regarding the Tide's offensive efficiency, he said, "Despite our poor shooting, it shows what we are capable of. When we start shooting well, our numbers will improve."

Next Up

The Tide is set for a long road trip to North Dakota. They will tip off at 8 p.m. CT against the University of North Dakota on the CBS Sports Network. Roll Tide! Blue Collar Basketball!

During a tense matchup between Illinois and No. 1 Tennessee, Brad Underwood's scout was proven wrong. In the second half timeout, the FOX broadcast captured Underwood breaking down Jordan Gainey. He emphasized to his players the need to be tougher at a certain end of the court. "We're too soft at that end. We got to be tougher. That whole thing is Gainey. Get there, get over the top of that screen. Get over the top. Beat him to it. He's not a (ball) handler. He's not comfortable doing that."

Game-Winning Moment

With just 5.7 seconds left and the game tied at State Farm Center, the ball was in Gainey's hand and he was in his element. He inbounded to Igor Milicic who passed it back, setting up Gainey to go the length of the floor. He finished through traffic with a layup off the glass, securing a 66-64 win at the buzzer.

Jordan Gainey's Performance

Gainey scored a game-high 23 points to lead Tennessee (10-0), filling the void left by the foul trouble that sidelined Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler for most of the second half. He played 18 minutes in the second half, mostly at point guard, without committing a turnover. After halting on 6-for-10 shooting from the floor, including 3-for-5 at the 3-point line and 3-for-3 at the foul line, he saved his best for last. "I just saw my defender keep backing up," Gainey said. "And he just kept backing up, and he was just dead in the water. And it was too late for them to send a double (team) because probably two seconds left, I was already at the rim at that point. We executed it perfectly."

Consistent Practice Pays Off

Gainey said this is a play the Vols work on consistently in practice, focusing on last-second shots in late-game scenarios. He got the ball back from Milicic near the Illinois foul line, took two dribbles to get to midcourt, then another to get to the top of the key on Tennessee's end. He went left with the ball in his hand, using a screen from Cade Phillips at the foul line, then switched to his right and finished with a scoop under the rim, falling to the baseline and sliding into the goal. "I looked through the hoop and saw it rattling up there," Gainey said. "And then it finally went through it and I saw my teammates coming … my teammates ran it perfectly and executed it."

The Play's Origins

Forget a play that took 5.7 seconds. Rick Barnes said it was a play that he picked up closer to 50 years ago. During his postgame press conference, Barnes went back to 1980 when he was an early career assistant at George Mason. The Patriots coaching staff decided to put out a newsletter in the Washington D.C. area to supplement a lacking recruiting budget and "to try to get George Mason on the map." "And so I worked with our SID, and we came up with a segment of it where we were going to call it ‘Coach’s Corner,’" Barnes said. "Where we want to ask different coaches around the D.C. area or wherever, to put together their favorite play." The first time Barnes went out, he ended up at DeMatha Catholic High School, talking to the legendary Morgan Wootten. Wootten coached high school basketball for over 40 years, won nearly 1,300 games, claimed five national championships and ended up in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. All Barnes had to do was ask. "I said, ‘Coach, you’ve been doing this a long time,’" Barnes said. "‘I need you to give me your favorite play.’ And he said, ‘okay,’ and he gave it to me. That’s the play we ran today." The play started with Milicic lined up in front of Jahmai Mashack and Darlinstone Dubar near midcourt, facing Gainey at the other end on the inbound. Mashack ran out first toward Gainey, then Dubar, then Milicic. Milcic caught the ball in front of the Illinois bench and immediately passed it back as Gainey hit full stride. "That play has been around a long time," Barnes said, "but Morgan, God, rest his soul, it was his play and the first one we put in that newsletter that year."