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Miami Madness: No. 24 men’s basketball thrills fans with 21-0 start and national ranking

Peter Suder drives for the hoop against UMass at Millett Hall on Jan. 27.
Peter Suder drives for the hoop against UMass at Millett Hall on Jan. 27.

COLUMN

This is not your parents’ Miami men’s basketball team. 

Well, unless your parents were at Miami University for the 1998-99 season. That squad, headlined by former NBA player and current analyst Wally Szczerbiak, finished the year 24-8 and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. 

The 2025-26 squad is looking to break the records set by that team nearly 30 years prior. The RedHawks are currently undefeated with 21 wins under their belt and a No. 24 national ranking, their first AP ranking since Szczerbiak dominated the hardwood. 

The team's outstanding success has drawn large crowds. The last home game drew a recorded 9,223 in attendance, ranking among the top 10 most-attended events at Millett Hall. Although there is not an AP All-American lottery pick on the floor, the 25-26 iteration of the RedHawks deserves the jam-packed arena seen in the Szczerbiak era. 

Head coach Travis Steele has adjusted to the modern landscape of college basketball, in part due to the strong foundations built over the years. Miami ranks in the top five teams in the nation in roster continuity, and the team returned 10 players from last season, including four of the top five scorers. 

Steele’s nucleus of talent has been capable of weathering off nights. Miami wins its conference games by an average of 10.78 points, with two games going to overtime. Five players average more than 10 points a night, which has helped the team overcome the loss of starting junior guard Evan Ipsaro, who tore his ACL on Dec. 20.

Although replacing Ipsaro is a team effort, sophomore guard Luke Skaljac has taken the reins as the primary facilitator of the offense. He has scored in the double figures in all but one game, and he leads the team in assists. His performance as the primary ball handler has helped Miami recover from the loss of a team captain. 

Redshirt sophomore wing Brant Byers keeps opposing defenses on their toes every possession he is on the court. Last season’s MAC Freshman of the Year leads the team in points per game (15.1), 3-pointers made (48) and free throws made (77). 

Senior forward Antwone Woolfolk is a force in the paint, having all the traits required to be a dominant college center. He leads the team in field goal percentage (65.2%), but he can also knock down opposing shots, ranking second on the team with 105 rebounds. 

Woolfolk trails junior wing Eian Elmer for the lead in rebounds with 123. Elmer also leads the team in blocks, and his presence on defense has been able to keep opposing teams at bay. He has been as reliable as it gets from the free throw line, shooting 47-59 (79.7%). As an everyday starter, Elmer averages 11.9 points per game and utilizes a lethal 3-point stroke, sinking 39 shots on 94 attempts (41.5%), to protect Miami’s undefeated status. He buried a triple to send the matchup against the University of Buffalo to overtime, which the RedHawks ultimately won. 

Senior guard Peter Suder contributes to Miami’s offensive dominance. He has surpassed 20 points in three games, reaching a season-high 37 against Buffalo. He drained seven 3-pointers during that game, including the game-winning point. 

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What makes Suder so dynamic is his ability to switch from shooter to passer. In games where the defense chooses to stop him from scoring, he has no problem passing the ball to facilitate more offense. He is the archetype of a selfless shooter leading the team in field goal percentage for a guard. 

Junior forward Almar Atlason’s’s transfer to Miami for this season has been instrumental to their success. Unlike many of Miami’s other forwards, Atlason's game focuses on spacing the floor and scoring 3-pointers. When he does use his size to drive to the paint, Atlason makes the defense pay by drawing fouls and then shooting over 85 percent from the line. 

Although they have not played as many minutes as the others Steele incorporates four freshmen into the gameday lineup who still find a way to make an impact. With the loss of Ipsaro, guard Justin Kirby forwent his redshirt season and has burst onto the scene, reducing the minutes load for Miami’s scorers. 

Trey Perry has demonstrated his athleticism and ability to get to the rim as a ball handler,, enabling rest for Suder or Skaljac. Tyler Robbins provides height off the bench, which gives Miami the opportunity to have a dominant interior player on the court at all times. Kyle Waltz provides the RedHawks with wing play off the bench and, like Byers, Waltz has demonstrated his ability to shoot or punish the defense with a drive inside. 

With a wealth of options to use, Steele is able to split the load and keep his team well rested for the remainder of a grueling season. While nWhile no player averages more than 30 minutes, Kirby, Perry and Robbins average about 10 minutes each. This regular rotation of nine players is how Miami basketball will fuel up for what could potentially be a magical run in March. 

“It’s about trajectory — we need to peak in March,” Steele said “We play four freshmen and two sophomores; This team has a lot of upside.” 

When Miami takes on opponents away from Millett, expect full capacity, raucous arenas. The “shoot to thrill” RedHawks will experience the adversity of hostile environments due to the success they have achieved. After securing the best start in MAC history — 21 games undefeated — the only question left to answer is, will Millett be as equally a fierce environment?

With the recent recognition from the AP poll, now is the time to pack Millett Hall. This is Miami basketball’s most exciting team this century, so there is no better time to be a fan of RedHawk basketball. 

@themeneghetti  

meneghcj@miamioh.edu

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