Staring at the first three-game losing skid since the arrival of head coach Fred Watson and also dealing with a roster that was missing two starters and key reserves due to illness, injuries, and other issues, Miles was questioning when it would be able to get back on track entering its Monday night contest against Allen.

In the first six minutes against the YellowJackets, the Golden Bears seemingly had found some answers for their ills. Miles (7-3) scored the first 17 points of the game and have five players score in double figures in a 79-43 win at Knox-Windham Gymnasium.

Allen (0-8) got the first chance to score but after a miss on its opening possession, they were blitzed on both sides of the ball by the Golden Bears. Yasim Hooker (12 points, six points, five rebounds, four steals) was all over the court, feeding Brandon Miller for an opening 3-pointer, getting a steal and breakaway dunk, grabbing an offensive rebound and slamming it home, then getting a feed on a fast break from Miller to open a 9-0 lead inside of the first four minutes.

Miles went to the bench and those players kept up the onslaught. Anthony Fairley (12 points, nine rebounds) added a bucket before Elijah Horton converted a 3-point play followed by a 3-pointer on the next possession to complete the 17-point run to start the game. The starters came back in and it was much the same. Joel Logan's score on a putback had the lead at 20 points just past the nine-minute mark and when Truitt Spencer knocked down a jumper with 7:47 left in the half, the Golden Bears enjoyed a 30-10 advantage.

While the game seemed well in hand at that point, Allen fought back. An 11-0 run by the YellowJackets, capped by a 3-pointer from Shawn Jones, Jr., got the deficit back into single digits. But Spencer answered with his own 3-ball on the ensuing possession and Allen never got any closer. Hooker closed the half with an exclamation point, getting another steal and dunk to send Miles into the break with a 39-23 lead.

Allen tried to stay afloat in the second half, playing the Golden Bears even for the first 11 minutes. But Miles kicked it into an extra gear to put the YellowJackets out of their misery. Ahead by 15 points, Miller and Chase Ballard knocked down consecutive 3-pointers in front of another aerial display from Hooker, who threw down another windmill dunk with the left hand for a 59-38 advantage. Miller (12 points, six assists) would connect on two more 3's, Ballard (10 points, three rebounds, three assists) would add a bucket and Horton would complete another three-point play and Miles would lead 70-40 with four-and-a-half minutes remaining. Ivan Lawson (six points, eight rebounds) would score six of Miles' next nine points to finish a scintillating 28-4 run to give the Golden Bears their biggest lead at 39 points.

Anthony Baker had 15 points to lead Allen. Horton had 12 points and Logan added eight points and three rebounds for Miles, which plays Savannah State in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Classic on Saturday at Legacy Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.