Take yourself back to 1999. The Miami University men's basketball team, with current NBA star Wally Szczerbiak, won a school record 24 games while going 15-3 in MAC play. After beating the University of Washington in the first round of the NCAA tournament, Miami continued to make school history with a win over the University of Utah to launch into the Sweet 16 for the first time ever.
Although the team fell to the University of Kentucky the next game, its run will go down in history as a great moment for Miami athletics. Ten years later, the run has not been forgotten.
To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Sweet 16 team, members from the squad are returning to Oxford to be honored before the men's basketball game Saturday. Szcerbiak, who will be in attendance, will also be inducted into the Miami Hall of Fame along with six other RedHawk legends.
"The Sweet 16 is one of the best moments that I have had in my life," Mike Esminger, a member of the 1999 team, said. "I come visit Miami whenever I can, and I wish I could do it all over again. The team we had was real close, and when you are playing a Division 1 sport, that team is your family. I am excited to come back to Miami and celebrate with my teammates. It is hard to believe that is has been 10 years since that Sweet 16 run, and I am looking forward to coming back and seeing everybody again."
Looking at the current version of the RedHawks, Esminger said he likes the team's chances to make a run of its own.
"I see a lot of similarities with this team compared to my team that went to the Sweet 16 in 1999," Esminger said. "They have a strong player in Bramos, an all-conference guy who leads this team, and a great supporting cast of Dierkers, Pollitz and a number of solid players. We had Wally and we had a great supporting cast as well. The team style is the same as well. The same coaches are around, and they have the same style set in place as we did. We made the other team play our game, and this is what this team is doing now."
The current Miami men's basketball team, which is now 7-3 in conference after their tough 57-55 loss Tuesday night at Central Michigan University, will try to bounce back against Western Michigan University Saturday night with the Sweet 16 team in attendance.
"It starts in practice," senior Tyler Dierkers said. "We have to get our confidence back especially after a loss. It is mental as well. We have to be able to learn from our mistakes and bounce back strongly. We hope to do that Saturday."
As the men's team prepares for their run into the postseason, the women's team is playing strong deep into the MAC season, with a 5-4 record heading into its game with Northern Illinois University Wednesday night.
"I really like the way our team is playing" senior Jaclyn Leininger said. "The only thing that we need to work on is closing out games and winning so we can get a bye in the MAC tournament. We have had a lot of players step up lately, and we need to go into every game like it is our last. We have a couple of games left, and we need to make every game from here on out count."
Although the season is almost over, the women are not looking ahead to the conference tournament.
"Every game at this point in the season counts," senior guard Jenna Schone said. "Going into the MAC's, we all have to get ready to play and push ourselves to do well. I know for me that every game counts no matter what point of the season it is, and the whole team has to feel the same way."
The RedHawk women tip off at 4 p.m. followed by the men at 7 p.m.
