Let’s start in Western Ohio for the first recap.

It was about 8:15 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, that reality came crashing down on the Miami University basketball team.

This reality came in the form of the sixth-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers, who opened the second half with a 26-6 run and went on to scorch the RedHawks 82-53 at Petersen Events Center.

Miami (1-2 overall, 1-0 against teams not ranked in the top six) had come close to taking No. 4 UCLA to overtime four days earlier, but this time there was to be no near-upset.

Levance Fields took blame for Pitt only leading by 5 at the half, DeJuan Blair asserted himself as a team leader in the locker.

“I took some rushed shots, and that kind of started it,” Fields said. “In the second half, we got out and ran. I know I can impact the game without scoring.”

Pitt outscored Miami, 16-2, in the opening 4:22 of the second half. Young, who had gone 12 minutes in the first half without a shot, scored six points during the run.

By the time guard Jermaine Dixon scored on a steal and layup, Pitt led, 51-32, with 15:38 to play and was cruising toward its 30th consecutive non-conference victory.

“We came out with a whole new attitude for the second half,” Blair said. “We came out and responded.

“At halftime, we were angry. Everybody had their head down. I tried to pick them up.”

It helped that he stayed out of foul trouble in the second half.

Coach Dixon was upbeat about the overall performance after the game.

Every conceivable facet of the game was dominated by Pitt in the second half, but coach Jamie Dixon was most impressed with his team’s defensive effort.

“I’m very happy with our defense tonight,” Dixon said. “I told the guys afterward that if our seniors continue to prepare our team the way they did the last couple of days this team can really take some strides. If they continue to stick with it and lead like they did we can really improve and become a pretty good team.”

Miami of Ohio forward Michael Bramos came into the game averaging 17.5 points per game, but the Panthers held him to only two points and without a field goal. He was 0 for 6 from the field and 0 for 3 from 3-point range.

“We didn’t want to foul him,” Dixon said. “About half of his points have come from the free-throw line. We really tried to stay at home and not over-help on penetration. I could see us understanding it and valuing the team defense. I felt very good about how well we were playing going into the game. I saw us improve defensively.”

It took Miami almost 12 minutes into the second half before they accumulated 10 points.

In the comments about and after the game, lots of love for Jermaine Dixon. Some of that I think is just relief that Pitt has an impact JUCO transfer for the first time since Ontario Lett. Another portion is just being pleasantly surprised at how he already seems integrated into the team. Dixon was big in the game.

“He’s a quite kid. He doesn’t say too much,” Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. “He always seems to have more assists than I anticipated. We weren’t sure how good a defender he would be until we saw him on the floor. He’s got the toughness. He’s a physically and mentally mature young man. He’s a good addition to our team.”

Making his second start, Dixon scored 14 points on 6 of 9 shooting, made two steals and turned in one of the better defensive efforts defense-minded Pitt got from a newcomer in recent years.

“Dixon killed us,” Miami coach Charlie Coles said. “Boy, did he have a game. That’s what we weren’t counting on.”

What the Redhawks (1-2), fresh off a five-point loss at UCLA, nor the No. 6 Panthers (2-0) could not have imagined was Dixon’s effort in guarding Michael Bramos, Miami’s leading scorer (17.5 ppg) and a second-team All-MAC selection a year ago.

Bramos picked up two early fouls but managed only two points and did not make a field goal. Dixon and Sam Young spent most of the game guarding him.

“My focus was to come out, play defense and lock up their best player,” Jermaine Dixon said. “I think I’m coming along pretty good. It was my first time guarding somebody pretty good and I think I did a good job.”

It’s early, but things look very promising for this season.