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adam ritenberg
multiple authors
Dayton, Ohio — Miami (Ohio) The First Four found themselves in a unique situation on Wednesday night.
The RedHawks were a 30-win team heading into the NCAA Tournament selections. Was Miami good, or just a result of a weak schedule? Were all the major conference teams that avoided the RedHawks stupid or smart? After a 31–1 start, Miami made the NCAA field, but barely as an at-large field, and would advance to the First Four, just 40 miles from its campus in Oxford, Ohio.
Were 6.5-point underdogs against the 11th-seeded RedHawks smuEven if neither he nor the thousands of people who came to support him felt that way.
“The reason people love March Madness is because they love to see, quote, unquote, upsets,” coach Travis Steele said. “It wasn’t a bother at all tonight.”
Miami left no doubt about its tournament viability, or the historic path it took by beating SMU 89-79 At UD Arena. The RedHawks led for most of the game, recorded their largest margin of victory and made their most 3-pointers (16) in an NCAA Tournament game and posted their highest scoring total in a tournament contest since 1958. They advanced to face the No. 6 seed. Tennessee Friday in a first-round Midwest Region matchup in Philadelphia.
Steele said he believed his team was better than SMU in Wednesday’s game and his players proved him right.
“All the doubters that doubted us, they’re all saying we don’t have a Quad 1 win, two wins, all that stuff, I don’t know what they’re going to say now,” the star guard Peter Suder Said. “We proved the doubters wrong. To win by double digits against a very good team, athletically, physically talented players, is huge for this program.”
Miami did not face a power conference team in nonleague play – the school repeatedly stated they did not want to schedule the RedHawks – and went 31–0 in the regular season before losing to umass Last week in the Mid-American Conference Tournament quarterfinals. Despite all of Miami’s wins, a strength of schedule that ranked near the bottom of Division I created an odd-large profile for the tournament selection committee to consider.
“I mean, to make it big we basically have to be perfect the entire regular season,” Steele said.
A MAC team had not earned an at-large berth since 1999, when Miami led All-American Wally Szczerbiak to the Sweet 16. The RedHawks were one of the last at-large teams remaining and began their first tournament appearance since 2007 in nearby Dayton.
The positive was that Wednesday’s crowd was red and raucous, erupting with every 3-pointer and scoring explosion from the Redhawks. Former Miami and NBA star Ron Harper was among the supporters and celebrated in the locker room.
Miami players often acknowledge their supporters, including Luke SkaljackJoe’s 3-pointer forced SMU to call a timeout with 7:15 left.
“That was a huge crowd, a home game for Miami,” SMU coach Andy Enfield said. “They probably had 12,000 fans here. Felt like 40 or 50,000.”
The crowd also included Miami’s men’s swimming and diving team, some of whom were wearing only speedos and caps, who sprinted down the aisle behind SMU’s basket at the start of the second half to distract the free throw shooter. corey washingtonAs they do at Miami’s home court, Millett Hall.
“I was really surprised when the swim team came out,” adds antwone woolfolk Said. “That was typical.”
Miami’s willingness to take and make 3-pointers propelled its offense, as the team made more 3s (10) than 2-point attempts (9) in the first half. But the undersized Redhawks also held on inside, as the rebounding was even at 35. He collected 12 offensive boards, including Suder’s board with 3:08 to play, which set up a 3-pointer. Ian Elmer Due to which the lead became 81-68.
Steele challenged his team after the UMass loss, as the RedHawks were defeated 41–24 and allowed 54 points and 23 second-chance points in the paint.
“We broke the glass,” said Woolfolk, Miami’s tallest starter at 6-foot-9. “We put pressure on the rim, instead of letting pressure build on us.”
The rebounding performance reinforced the Steel’s pregame theme: attack.
“Our people deserve to be in this position,” he said. “I felt like we were the better team in the game. And I think our guys have that real belief. That’s the most powerful thing you can do.”
Miami now has another power conference opponent in Tennessee, and further success means similar opponents will follow. But the RedHawks had the tournament stage on Wednesday night.
How many more people know about Miami (Ohio) now?
Sudar said smilingly, “I don’t even know, I can’t even count.” “But it’s definitely too much.”
