Ohio tops RedHawks

Published 5:32 pm Sunday, March 10, 2013

ATHENS (AP) — D.J. Cooper scored 17 points and Ohio overcame a double-digit deficit in the second half to beat Miami (Ohio) 58-54 on Saturday in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Ohio trailed 44-32 with 11:58 left in the game when Miami’s Geovonie McKnight made a free throw. But the Bobcats answered with a 15-0 run, capped by Cooper’s 3-pointer with 7:04 remaining to claim a 47-44 advantage.

Jon Smith, who nearly had a double-double, led the spurt with five points for the Bobcats (23-8, 14-2 Mid-American Conference). Smith finished with nine points and 10 rebounds — six offensive.

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The RedHawks cut Ohio’s lead down to one on two occasions, but they were unable to regain the lead the rest of the way.

Will Felder finished with 20 points for Miami (8-21, 3-13), which extended its losing streak to nine games. Jon Harris had 13 points and nine rebounds.