Miami (OH) RedHawks
Overall Rank: #110
Conference Rank: #3 Mid-American
2010-11: 16-17, 11-5
2010-11 postseason: CBI
Coach: Charlie Coles (257-204 at Miami (OH), 349-288 overall)
Coach Charlie Coles has continually put Miami in a situation to compete for a Mid-American Conference title. Even in the tough East Division, Coach Coles always has his RedHawks ready to make a run. A tough non-conference slate usually dampens the team’s overall record, but once again Miami should be prepared to make some noise in the conference. The key to this group could be the development of point guard Quinten Rollins. The 6-0 sophomore had a fine debut season, averaging 5.5 points, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals. Rollins will now need to turn into a leader on the court.
Who’s Out:
The loss of Antonio Ballard, Nick Winbush and Chris McHenry will cause a few problems. Ballard missed much of last season anyway, but he was a superb slasher and a great rebounder from the wing. Winbush was another double-digit scorer and led the teams in blocks. He was a tough interior scorer who will not be easy to replace. Chris McHenry started a dozen games last season, but was mostly used as a shooter off of the bench.
Who’s In:
The newcomers alone will not be able to replace the lost production, but Bill Edwards will certainly play a big role on this team. The transfer from Penn State can do a little bit of everything. As a freshman with the Nittany Lions, Edwards tallied 4.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest. The 6-6, 245 pound sophomore is a solid shooter from around 18 feet and in and can even pass surprisingly well. Depending on the development of some younger players, Edwards could play the three or the four for the RedHawks. Point guard Brian Sullivan, an incoming freshman, could see some quality minutes as a backup point guard and center Jared Tadlock will likely need to spend some time developing his game before making a major contribution.
Who to Watch:
Just who will start on the wings is the big question. Allen Roberts and Orlando Williams are the likely candidates. Roberts can create shots and is a player who can create shots for himself. That skill alone should give him the starting nod at the two guard position. His outside shooting leaves something to be desired, but he can at least keep the opposition honest. Williams is the best shooter of the bunch and connected on nearly 40 percent of his attempts from long range during his sophomore campaign. If the RedHawks play small, he will likely be next to Roberts in the starting lineup. Josh Sewell is a big 6-5 wing who had his moments during his freshman season. He is a decent shooter and should be able to provide some quality minutes off of the bench.
Final Projection:
Julian Mavunga is the star of Miami. After averaging 14.8 points and 8.2 rebounds last season, Mavunga is due for a huge senior season. He even led the RedHawks with 3.0 assists per contest. His ability to stretch the defense with his outside shooting makes him even more dangerous. At 6-8 and 232 pounds, Mavunga has more than enough size to man the five spot in the MAC, but the RedHawks hope sophomore center Drew McGhee can play a much bigger role this season. If he can step into a starting position, it will give this group a ton of size that no team in the conference can match. Mavunga would be a mismatch for every opposing power forward and Edwards would shoot over ever small forward in the league. In that scenario the frontcourt depth would be a little light, but Jon Harris is capable of playing 15 to 20 minutes per game and Tadlock could be ready for some minutes here and there. Either way, Coach Coles has options and when he has options, he wins games.
Projected Postseason Tournament: CBI/CIT
Projected Starting Five:
Quinten Rollins, Sophomore, Guard, 5.5 points per game
Allen Roberts, Junior, Guard, 7.9 points per game
Orlando Williams, Junior, Guard, 9.8 points per game
Bill Edwards, Sophomore, Forward, DNP last season
Julian Mavunga, Senior, Forward, 14.8 points per game
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