BOX SCORE

QUOTES

NOTES

KALAMAZOO -- Miami's Kenny Hayes hit a long jumper with 0.8 seconds remaining to defeat Western Michigan, 56-54, in front of 3,032 at University Arena on Thursday night.

The Broncos (12-10, 4-5 MAC) had a chance to take the lead on the previous possession, but David Kool couldn't hit a pair of shots and Miami (9-13, 6-3 MAC) finally grabbed the rebound to set up their game-winning possession.

Kool led all scorers with 19 points and added 10 rebounds, three assists and one steal for his second career double-double. Martelle McLemore added 17 points and four rebounds for the Broncos.

The RedHawks scored the first four points of the game, but then WMU came back with back-to-back three-pointers by Nate Hutcheson and Martelle McLemore, followed by a free throw jumper from Hutcheson to go up four, 8-4, with 16:56 to play. Miami came back and cut the lead to one, 10-9, on a three-pointer, but back-to-back hook shots in the paint by Flenard Whitfield and Donald Lawson staked the Broncos to a five-point advantage, 14-9, with 10:14 on the clock.

Miami hit a jumper to cut its deficit to three, but then WMU hit four free throws in a row to take its lead to seven, 18-11, with 8:36 remaining in the half. Kool's driving lay-up with 6:22 in the half kept the Broncos up seven, 21-14, but Miami scored five in a row to cut the lead to two. McLemore buried a three-pointer as the shot clock expired from deep behind the arc to put WMU back up five and kept the Broncos up five with a running floater in the lane, 26-21, with 2:30 left in the half. McLemore added his third three-pointer of the half with 1:37 to go to put the Broncos up seven, 29-22, but Miami converted a lay-up at the buzzer to account for the five-point halftime margin, 29-24.

At halftime, the Broncos were shooting 35.7 percent (10-28) and made 4-of-10 three-pointers, while Miami shot 34.8 percent (8-23) and made 3-of-9 triples. The Broncos out-rebounded Miami, 21-16, and turnovers were limited with three for WMU and four for MU.

The RedHawks quickly came out and scored the first four points of the half, but then Kool came back with four free throws in a row and then fed Hutcheson on the break for a two-handed stuff to put WMU up by seven, 35-28, after the first 2:40 of the second half. Miami shut the Broncos down for the next 5:01 as it rattled off seven in a row to tie the game, but then Kool made a steal and took it the length of the court for a lay-up, 37-35, with 12:19 to play. Miami answered on its next possession, but then Kool buried his first triple of the game. Miami answered again with a drive-and-kick three-ball to keep the game tied, 40-40, with 11:05 left in the game.

Miami took its first lead since 4-3, 42-40, when it made a pair of free throws with 10:14 to go. After both defenses clamped down, Mike Douglas found a loose ball and pushed it ahead to McLemore for a dunk to tie the game with 7:14 to play. The Broncos couldn't regain the lead as Miami went on an 8-2 run to take its biggest lead, 50-44, with 4:26 to go.

The Broncos came back with four in a row as Kool found McLemore for a lay-up and then hit two free throws to cut the lead to two, but Miami answered with a jumper to go back up four, 52-48, with 2:41 to play. Kool found a streaking Lawson for a fast break lay-up and then hit two more free throws to tie the game, 52-52, with 1:49 to play.

WMU then got a stop as Whitfield stepped in front of Nick Winbush to draw a charging foul and Kool hit a bank shot to put the Broncos back in front, 54-52, with 1:20 to go. WMU committed a foul on the other end and Antonio Ballard hit both freebies to tie the game for the sixth time to set up the game's final moments.

The Broncos held Miami to 36.7 percent (18-49) and 5-of-20 three-pointers, but shot just 18-of-53 (.340) at the other end and made 5-of-16 three-pointers. The difference was at the foul line, where Miami was 15-of-19 and WMU was 13-of-16.

WMU led 26-16 in points in the paint, 15-6 in points off turnovers and 9-2 in fast break points.

Hayes led Miami with 16 points, while Julian Mavunga added 14 points, seven rebounds, two assist and two blocks. Ballard notched a double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks.

The Broncos have a quick turnaround and play Bowling Green (11-10, 4-5 MAC) on Saturday at 2 p.m. Furthermore, tomorrow at noon is a Fast Break Club luncheon in the Seelye Center. Head coach Steve Hawkins will talk and take questions. Tickets are $12 for the public.