Miami (Ohio) secured an 89-79 victory over SMU in the First Four of the NCAA tournament. The RedHawks, an 11th-seeded team, were initially considered underdogs but proved their worth on the court. Miami’s win sends them to a first-round match-up against No. 6 seed Tennessee.
RedHawks’ Dominant Performance
Miami (Ohio) led for the majority of the game against SMU. The RedHawks recorded their largest victory margin and made 16 3-pointers, marking their most in an NCAA tournament game. They also achieved their highest scoring total in a tournament contest since 1958.
Coach Travis Steele expressed his belief in his team’s superiority over SMU before the game, a sentiment echoed by star guard Peter Suder. Suder addressed the doubters, highlighting the significance of the double-digit win against a talented team.
Doubts and Determination
Miami entered the tournament as an at-large bid. Their schedule strength, which hovered near the bottom of Division I, raised questions. The team did not face a power conference team in nonleague play, with the school stating that those schools did not want to schedule them.
The RedHawks had to be near-perfect in the regular season to secure the at-large bid, according to Steele. Miami went 31-0 in the regular season before falling to UMass in the Mid-American Conference tournament quarterfinals. Their First Four appearance marked their first tournament appearance since 2007.
Home Crowd Advantage
The game in Dayton, Ohio, felt like a home game for Miami. The crowd, filled with Miami supporters, created a raucous atmosphere. Former Miami and NBA star Ron Harper was also present to support the team and celebrated in the locker room.
SMU coach Andy Enfield acknowledged the strong support for Miami. He estimated that Miami had 12,000 fans present, creating an intense atmosphere.
Miami’s Luke Skaljac acknowledged the supporters, particularly after his 3-pointer that forced SMU to call a timeout.
Following their win, Miami (Ohio) will now prepare to face Tennessee in the first round.