RedHawks look to ‘put on a good show’ against Bearcats

Today’s game

Who: Cincinnati Bearcats (10-0) at Miami RedHawks (5-6)

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Millett Hall (6,400), Oxford

TV: SportsTime Ohio

Radio: WMOH-AM (1450), WPFB-FM (105.9), WLW-AM (700)

Series: Cincinnati leads 93-52

OXFORD — After all the hype of the Cincinnati Bearcats’ long-awaited return to Millett Hall, Miami University basketball coach Charlie Coles is keeping his fingers crossed.

He hopes for a victory for his RedHawks, sure.

But Coles’ first concern is that he doesn’t want the fans of either side to be disappointed.

“Hopefully, it will feel good, and when I say that, there is an obligation for us to do a good job of playing as hard as we can play and provide the fans with a good game,” Coles said. “There have been times when we haven’t given our best effort.”

Miami has scored more than 60 points in just four of its first 11 games and is coming off a 66-51 loss to Wright State.

And it doesn’t necessarily bode well for the RedHawks that they’ll face a UC team that held Dayton to just 34 points earlier this season.

Still, Coles said it’s good to have a familiar foe back in Oxford.

“It’s been a long time since the mighty Bearcats have been in our gym,” he said. “We want to put on a good show. I’m a little worried about that.

“Hopefully, it’ll be a good night for all the fans, Miami fans and UC fans,” he said. “I think it’s good to have area foes.”

It has been almost 18 years since the Bearcats played at Millett Hall, when UC beat Miami 74-68 in overtime Feb. 1, 1993.

“I want to thank Mick Cronin,” Coles said of the Cincinnati coach. “(Former UC coach) Bob Huggins, he came up here the last time and wouldn’t do it again. Mick’s doing it, and I think he’s doing it because of his relationship with our coaches.”

The Bearcats are one of just nine undefeated teams remaining in Division I — and five of those teams are on Miami’s schedule, including Duke, Ohio State, Kansas and San Diego State.

“It’s probably the best team he’s had since he’s been there,” Coles said of Cronin. “He’s had to rebuild that program, and I think he’s done a good job of it.”

Cincinnati has won its last 11 games against Miami, and the oddsmakers have made the Bearcats a 7-point favorite in this one.

“We’ve got to grow up a little bit better,” Coles said. “I still believe we’ll have a good team sooner or later, and I hope it’s sooner. I believe there’s a good team in that locker room.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.