The Miami RedHawks stayed perfect Saturday afternoon, riding a 15-2 second-half run to an 86-78 road win over Evansville at the Ford Center. Kyle Waltz scored 19 points off the bench to lead Miami (3-0), which trailed 45-43 at halftime before taking control in the opening minutes of the second half, the Associated Press reported.
Waltz shot 6 of 7 from the field, including 3 for 3 from three-point range, and went 4 for 4 at the line, scoring 11 of his 19 in the first half, according to the Associated Press. Evansville (2-2) got a career day from Bryce Quinet, who reset his career high for the second straight week with 30 points on 12-of-24 shooting, six three-pointers, eight assists and four rebounds, Evansville Athletics reported in its game release. AJ Casey added 26 points on 10-of-13 shooting for the Purple Aces, and Aaron Gutman finished with eight points and seven rebounds.
The first half was a shootout: both teams shot over 50%, Evansville built its largest lead at 32-25 on a Casey three-pointer with 7:34 left in the half, and a late Quinet three sent the Aces into the break ahead 45-43, according to the Evansville release. Miami answered immediately after halftime — eight straight points for a 51-45 lead, then seven more to stretch it to 58-47 with 16:15 remaining, a 15-2 run in all.
Evansville cut the margin to six at 58-52 behind five straight Quinet points, but Miami kept the Aces at arm’s length the rest of the way, and a RedHawks three-pointer inside the final four minutes made it 80-68. Miami shot 54.0% for the game and went 14-of-28 from three-point range, against Evansville’s 45.3% and 9-of-24, with rebounds even at 32 apiece, the release said.
The win keeps Miami unbeaten through three games a season after its historic 31-0 regular-season run, and it came in the RedHawks’ first road test of the year. Waltz’s bench scoring was the difference in a game where Evansville’s two stars — Quinet and Casey combined for 56 points — nearly matched Miami’s whole starting group.
What happens next: Miami returns home to Millett Hall on Wednesday, November 18, to host Defiance, while Evansville stays at the Ford Center to host Le Moyne on Tuesday, November 17, at 7 p.m., according to the Associated Press and Evansville Athletics.