Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio- Miami cut a 14-point second-half Western Michigan lead down to four, but the Broncos hung on for their second-straight Mid-American Conference victory, 75-69. It was the first win over the RedHawks since the quarterfinals of the 2007 MAC Tournament and WMU's first win in Oxford since Feb. 8, 2006.
Sophomore Miame Giden paced the Broncos with an all-around effort, tallying 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Junior Kemmy Dominique also had a big game, hitting three 3-pointers for 15 points, while she dished out a team-best five assists and grabbed four rebounds.
Western Michigan got off to a quick start and took a 9-3 lead but Miami settled in and came back with an 11-2 run to pull in front, 14-11, with eight minutes gone in the first half. The run didn't rattle the Broncos, who were getting solid shooting performances from Giden and Dominique. After trailing by three, WMU outscored the RedHawks 25-16 through the end of the half to lead 36-30 at halftime.
Giden and Dominique scored 20 of the Broncos' first 25 points and each had 12 points at the half. WMU shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half.
Giden picked up where she left off in the second, coming out to score seven of the Broncos' first nine points. Western Michigan pushed the lead to 14 twice in the half, the last of which was with 10 minutes remaining.
The RedHawks continued to attack and hustled WMU defensively, causing the Broncos to turn the ball over five times in the next seven minutes. Miami worked the deficit down to four and had a chance to cut it to two with 2:03 remaining, but Courtney Reed missed a pair of free throws. WMU's Ebony Cleary corralled the rebound.
Taylor Manley made the first of two free throws on the other end and the rebound bounced out of bounds in the Broncos' favor. After allowing the clock to run down on the ensuing possession, Manley hit a 10-foot runner from the left baseline as the shot clock expired. WMU regained control with the make, going up by seven with 1:11 remaining, 67-60.
Western Michigan sealed the win at the free-throw line making all eight of its attempts in the final minute. The Broncos hit 74.2 percent for the game from the line, going 23 for 31.
Manley finished with nine points, all in the final two minutes, seven of those at the free throw line. Cleary chipped in eight points and seven rebounds and Molly Dwyer hit a pair of three-pointers before fouling out. Dwyer moves past Curleta Harris and into sole possession of seventh place on the school's career three-pointers list with 107 and counting.
Shooting 42.9 percent in the second half, Western Michigan finished the game hitting 46.9 percent.
Kristen Olowinski led three RedHawks in double figures with a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds. Miami shot 40 percent for the game and 75.9 percent at the line.
With the win, WMU improves to 2-8 in the MAC and 7-16 on the season, equaling last year's win total. Miami drops to 6-17 overall, 4-6 in the MAC.
Western Michigan returns to Kalamazoo for a 7 p.m. matchup against Kent State Wednesday, Feb. 10, in its final cross-divisional game of the year. Kent State fell at Eastern Michigan Saturday, 78-72.
