DAYTON, Ohio – With more than 12,000 people packing the University of Dayton Arena, the Miami University RedHawks men’s basketball team took a decisive 89-79 win over the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Mustangs in the First Four matchup to solidify a spot in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The RedHawks nailed 16 3-pointers and utilized a dominant 23-point performance from junior wing Eian Elmer to send Miami onward. Redshirt sophomore wing Brant Byers added 17 points and sank four triples of his own, allowing the RedHawks to control the game from range while holding SMU to 5-21 from behind the arc.
“We have great players, and I’ve been saying this the whole year, but we have better human beings,” head coach Travis Steele said. “Our guys play for one another; they play the right way. We finished with 20 assists, four turnovers on the game … I felt like if we could neutralize them on the glass, we’d give ourselves a really good opportunity to come away with a win.”
Miami’s bench contributed heavily, scoring 20 points to the Mustangs’ five. Junior forward Almar Atlason led the bench with 12 points. Senior guard Peter Suder had a quiet game with seven points but grabbed a team-high seven rebounds and finished with six assists.
Neither team took a wide enough lead in the first half as players looked to find their shooting form. Elmer and sophomore guard Luke Skaljac scored a bulk of Miami’s points as the RedHawks took a 15-13 lead after 10 minutes.
Over time, the RedHawks got hot from distance and shot 40% in the first half. SMU did its damage with several different scorers to keep the game close, but Miami kept the game at break-neck pace in the first half, taking advantage of what the Mustangs’ defense provided.
Senior guard Jaron Pierre Jr. supplied an all-around performance in the first half, leading SMU with nine points, three assists and three steals. Senior guard Boopie Miller contributed heavily as well with eight points and three assists..
Behind Elmer's four 3-pointers, the RedHawks would take a nine-point lead into the break.
The pace would begin to slow in the second half as the Mustangs worked the ball inside, eating up the game clock. However, Suder began to take over offensive duties for Miami after not scoring in the first half, and the combined efforts of Skaljac, Byers and Elmer swung momentum back in Miami’s favor.
SMU’s 7-foot-2 center Samet Yigitoglu found himself in early foul trouble and sat on the bench for much of the second half. With the opponent lacking height, Miami was able to create more space inside and attack the rim.
Freshman guard Justin Kirby entered the game as Miami’s guards got into foul trouble and began to play fearlessly. He took advantage of open looks from 3-point range and demonstrated his twitchiness, going right at the much larger Yigitoglu.
The RedHawks made sure to take care of possession while maintaining their high offensive output as the game went on, finishing with four turnovers and 20 assists. The RedHawk shooters displayed their marksmanship in front of the rapturous audience; Miami now holds the First Four record for attempted and made 3-pointers.
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Miami finished the game tied with the rebound battle 35-35 to the much taller SMU team, a testament to the team’s relentless effort on the glass.
With under three minutes to go, Elmer emerged from the bench ready to nail a clutch triple and a vicious slam dunk to put the game in touching distance with the RedHawks up 85-76 in the final minute. Miami kept the Mustangs at bay from there and took its First Four victory 89-79.
“We deserve the moment,” Steele said. “Our guys have earned that right, and our guys have that real belief. That is a really powerful thing.”
The RedHawks will travel to Philadelphia to face the University of Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of March Madness on March 20.
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