Dec. 21, 2007

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REDHAWKS ROUND OUT FOUR-GAME, EIGHT-DAY STRETCH AT NO. 3 KANSAS ON SATURDAY: Coming off a thrilling 61-58 overtime win at Illinois, Miami concludes a challenging week when it travels to No. 3 Kansas for a 1 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Dec. 22. The game is the last of a two-game, three-day road swing for the RedHawks. It is the first meeting in the all-time series between the teams.

ABOUT NO. 3 KANSAS: The Jayhawks enter Saturday's game with an 11-0 record, including a 9-0 mark at home. Kansas is coming off a 71-66 win at Georgia Tech on Tuesday. Five players average double figures in scoring, led by Darrell Arthur's 13.2 ppg. Mario Chalmers follows averaging 12.6 ppg, while Brandon Rush and Sherron Collins each average 11.0 ppg. Darnell Jackson leads the team on the boards, averaging 6.5 rpg, and also averages 10.5 ppg for the Jayhawks. As a team, Kansas averages 83.7 ppg--which ties for 16th nationally--and is defeating opponents by a 24.5 ppg margin. The Jayhawks are shooting an impressive 52.0 percent from the field for the season. Kansas averages 6.7 blocks per game as a team with Sasha Kaun leading the team with 21 blocked shots and Arthur following with 17.

THE SERIES WITH THE JAYHAWKS: Saturday is the first meeting between Miami and Kansas. The Jayhawks are one of three teams the RedHawks are facing for the first time this season. Miami faced South Alabama for the first time at the Anaheim Classic on Nov. 22 and recorded a 64-59 win. The RedHawks faced Chicago State for the first time on Dec. 18 and coming away with a 74-68 win.

UP NEXT: Miami rounds out the month of December against Cincinnati at U.S. Bank Arena at 8 p.m. on Dec. 29. Miami continues a five-game road stretch when it opens Mid-American Conference play at Akron on Jan. 5 and at Ohio on Jan. 12. Miami returns home to Millett Hall for the first time in a month when the RedHawks host Kent State at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 17

TELEVISION COVERAGE: Saturday's game will be televised by Jayhawk Television and also can be seen as part of the ESPN Full Court Package. Miami's home game against Eastern Michigan at approximately 4 p.m. on Jan. 26, which is the second game of a women's and men's doubleheader with both games being televised, and its home game against Akron on Feb. 19 will be televised on ONN. Additionally, Miami's home game on Sunday, Jan. 20 against Buffalo has been moved to 2 p.m. and the RedHawks' home game on Sunday, March 9 against Bowling Green has been moved to noon. Both will be televised as part of the Mid-American Conference Television Package on Fox Sports Net Ohio. The March 9 game also will be shown on Comcast Local.

ODDS `N ENDS: Miami head coach Charlie Coles is just one win away from earning his 200th win at the helm of the RedHawk program ... Miami's 61-58 overtime win against Illinois was the RedHawks' first in the six-game all-time series with the Illini ... the win gave Miami back-to-back wins for just the second time this season.

TURNING 40: Over a three-game stretch (Dec. 4, 15 and 20), the RedHawks recorded at least 40 points on one half. The RedHawks scored 40 points in the second half against Indiana State on Dec. 4 and shot 63.2 percent from the field over the final 20 minutes en route to a 74-58 win, the RedHawks most lopsided win of the season. At Wright State on Dec. 15, Miami opened the game scoring 44 points and shooting a scorching 73.9 percent from the field over the first 20 minutes. A season-low 13 points in the second half against the Raiders, however, stymied the RedHawks who suffered a heartbreaking 58-57 loss on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Miami put together its greatest offensive output of the season in a half on Dec. 18 against Chicago State when the Red and White amassed 45 points in the second half on the way to a 74-68 win. Miami shot 70.8 percent from the field in the second half against the Cougars.

OH SO CLOSE: Miami's four losses this season have come by a combined nine points and two have been by one point on last-second baskets. The RedHawks' six wins have come by an average of 6.5 ppg.

CAREER NUMBERS: Numerous career-high numbers have been tied or eclipsed by RedHawk players in three of the past four games. Dec. 4 vs. Indiana State--Tyler Dierkers: career-high 13 points, tied career highs of three steals and two blocked shots; Carl Richburg: Miami career-high 13 points. Dec. 15 at Wright State--Eric Pollitz: tied career highs of eight points and six rebounds; Isiah Carson: Miami career highs eight points and 17 minutes. Dec. 18 vs. Chicago State:--Tim Pollitz: career highs of 26 points and nine assists; Eric Pollitz: career-high 35 minutes, tied career high of eight points; Adam Fletcher: career highs of eight points, two assists and 21 minutes; Kenny Hayes: Miami career high of eight rebounds.

LENDING A HELPING HAND: Miami amassed 22 assists against Chicago State on Dec. 18, the most by a Miami team since recording 23 against Buffalo on Feb. 4, 2006. Miami's post players lead the way for the RedHawks. Senior forward Tim Pollitz has 42 assists this season and averages 4.20 apg, while junior center Tyler Dierkers has recorded 41 assists and averages 4.54 apg. The duo accounts for 58.3 percent of the team's assists.

STEPPING IN AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE: With Michael Bramos sidelined due to injury and Tyler Dierkers limited while recovering from an illness against Chicago State, several RedHawks had the opportunity to step in and contribute. Junior guard/forward Eric Pollitz made his second career start in place of Bramos and tied a career-high with eight points in 35 minutes of action. Sophomore center Adam Fletcher, who entered the game with four points for his career, scored four of Miami's first six points and finished with eight points off a 4-for-4 effort from the field. Freshman Nick Winbush, who played one minute in his first career game on Dec. 15 at Wright State after being sidelined at the start of the season due to injury, stepped in against the Cougars and scored five points and recorded two rebounds in eight minutes of action.

BENCH MARKS: In the RedHawks' 74-58 win against Indiana State, Miami had its best scoring output from the bench of the season. Miami's bench scored 23 points with a career-high 13 coming from junior guard Carl Richburg, six coming from junior guard Eric Pollitz and four coming from junior guard Isiah Carson.

BACK-TO-BACK 30-POINT EFFORTS FIRST SINCE 2004: With 30 points against Mississippi State on Nov. 25 and a career-high 36 points against Dayton on Nov. 28, junior forward Michael Bramos recorded the first back-to-back 30-point scoring games since Juby Johnson in 2004. Johnson had 31 points at Kent State on March 3, 2004 and 30 points against Marshall on March 6, 2004.

20-MINUTE POINT PRODUCTION: Senior forward Tim Pollitz scored 18 of his 22 points in the first half against Louisville on Dec. 1 and hit all nine of Miami's first-half field goals. Pollitz also scored all 15 of his points against Mississippi State (Nov. 25) in the second half. He also scored 18 of his career-high 26 points in the second half against Chicago State (Dec. 18). Junior forward Michael Bramos scored 23 of his 28 points against South Alabama (Nov. 22) in the second half, accounting for nearly 67 percent of the RedHawks' scoring. His 25 first-half points against Dayton (Nov. 28) comprised 75.8 percent of Miami's scoring against Dayton and eclipsed the Flyers' team total of 18 first-half points.

BRAMOS HAS CAREER NIGHT AGAINST FLYERS: With an impressive 36-point effort against Dayton on Nov. 28, junior forward Michael Bramos had a career night. Bramos went 11-of-17 from the field (.647), including and whopping 9-of-15 from 3-point range (.600). His nine treys rank second on Miami's single-game chart, just one off the school record of 10. He knocked down seven of his nine 3-pointers in the first half. His 36 points were the most scored by a Miami player since Wally Szczerbiak scored 43 points against Washington on March 12, 1999 in the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, Bramos had a career-high four blocked shots against the Flyers, accounting for all of Miami's blocked shots.

DIERKERS CLOSE TO TRIPLE-DOUBLE: Junior center Tyler Dierkers came close to a triple-double against Mississippi State on Nov. 25. Dierkers ended with seven points and career highs of nine rebounds and 10 assists. His 10 assists are the most by a Miami player since Alex Moosmann handed out 10 assists against UIC last season.

DOMINATING DEFENSE: The RedHawks were the only Division I team to not allow 70 or more points in a single game throughout the 2006-07 season. The most points Miami allowed was 69 points to Ohio University in an overtime victory for the `Hawks. The last time Miami gave up 70 or more points was in a 73-58 loss to Ohio in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals on March 9, 2006. Miami has held opponents under 70 points in 44 consecutive games, which is the nation's longest active streak.

BRAMOS AND POLLITZ NAMED TO ANAHEIM CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Junior forward Michael Bramos and senior forward Tim Pollitz were named to the five-member Anaheim Classic All-Tournament Team. The RedHawk duo join Southern California's OJ Mayo, who was named tournament MVP, Southern Illinois' Randal Falker and Mississippi State's Jamont Gordon. Miami was the only school with two all-tournament team selections.

THEY ARE MIAMI THROUGH AND THROUGH: All four of the RedHawks' coaches hold degrees from Miami University: Head Coach Charlie Coles earned a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1965, associate head coach Jermaine Henderson earned a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1997, assistant coach Ryan Pedon earned a master's degree in sport organization in 2002, while assistant coach Jason Grunkemeyer earned a bachelor's degree in physical education in 2001. Additionally, first-year administrative assistant Jimmy Lallathin is a 2003 Miami graduate.

A MIAMI WIN WOULD ... • Be the first time Miami has strung together three straight wins this season. • Be the Jayhawks' first loss of the season. • Be Miami's first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 11/10 Boston College, 73-67 on Dec. 20, 2001 at the Hawaii Rainbow Classic.

A MIAMI LOSS WOULD ... • Make Miami 0-1 in the all-time series with Kansas. • Drop the RedHawks to 6-5 on the season.