The Miami University RedHawks men’s basketball team (31-1, 18-0) will play their first game in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, March Madness, since 2007. On March 18, the RedHawks will open the tournament against the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Mustangs (20-13, 8-10) in a First Four game at the University of Dayton (UD) Arena.
The RedHawks and Mustangs were both unsure of their fate going into Sunday night's tournament selection, but each team secured a bid as one of the last four at-large teams in the field.
Miami last played on March 12 and suffered its first loss of the season against the University of Massachusetts Minutemen 87-83. This loss also ended the RedHawks’ hope of sweeping the Mid-American-Conference (MAC) regular season and tournament championship.
Despite the defeat, sophomore wing Brant Byers and junior wing Eian Elmer paced the RedHawks with 17 and 16 points respectively.
SMU last played on March 11 in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament where they lost to the University of Louisville Cardinals. They struggled down the stretch and finished the season losing five of its last six games.
The Mustangs are led by second-year head coach Andy Enfield, who previously made an Elite Eight appearance with the USC Trojans. He also led the famous “Dunk City” Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles to the Sweet 16 in 2013.
Senior guard Boopie Miller leads the offense for the Mustangs, rated the 26th best offense in the country by KenPom, with 19.2 points per game. Fellow senior guard B.J. Edwards is expected to return for SMU. The Tennessee native averages 12.7 points per game but has not played since Feb. 25 after suffering an ankle injury.
On top of this experienced backcourt, the Mustangs will have a rotation that includes 7-foot-2-inch sophomore Samet Yigitoglu. Senior forward Antwone Woolfolk and freshmen forward Tyler Robbins are the RedHawks tallest players, both standing at 6-foot-10-inches.
“Obviously, very excited to be selected as an at-large team,” head coach Travis Steele said in a press conference after the announcement. “This is what you work for your entire life.”
The RedHawks will be led by MAC player of the year, Peter Suder.
“It’s been a dream ever since I was a kid to play in the NCAA tournament,” Suder said.
Playing in Dayton will present a unique opportunity for Miami as the arena is a mere 50-minute drive from Oxford. Since the current First Four format was put in place in 2011, teams playing in Dayton went on to win a second game in 12 of those 14 years. Previously, Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of California Los Angeles advanced from the first four all the way to the Final Four.
Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter
“It's so unique, almost a home game in the NCAA Tournament setting,” Steele said.
Miami students and alumni in the Dayton and Cincinnati area will undoubtedly make the trip to UD Arena on Wednesday night.
For Steele, this is an opportunity that is eight years in the making, starting at Xavier University, now being achieved in Oxford. While this could be the highlight of his young career, he doesn't focus on himself.
“It’s a surreal moment for our guys.”
Read More
A Miami two-step: Both RedHawk basketball teams keep dancing in March
By Cooper Meneghetti | YesterdayMiami University men's and women's basketball teams discover their March Madness opponents.
Who’s Who at MU: Senior vice president of student life
By Evelyn Dugan | YesterdayWhen she’s not baking pie, hiking or reading, Jayne Brownell is tirelessly managing Miami University’s Division of Student Life.
Column: Why the new Arena District would hurt Miami
By Cooper Meneghetti | 2 days agoCooper wrote a piece speaking against the proposed arena on Cook Field