Miami Ohio's First Tournament Win Since 1999

0:00On March 19th, Miami, Ohio pulled off a big win in the first four of the NC double, a tournament beating SMU 89-79. It marks the Red Hawks' first tournament victory since their sweet 16 run back in 1999. With that, the 11th Cedar Red Hawks advanced to face six Cedar Tennessee in the first round of the Midwest region on Friday. The Red Hawks lit it up from beyond the arc, hitting 16 of their 41-3 point attempts. Junior Wang E&L Merled the way with 23 points, while Brandt Buyers added 19 and Luke Scaljack chipped in 17. Their fast pace and hot shooting overwhelmed, SMU early, building a lead they never fully lost. Fans made the short trip to UD Arena and brought tons of energy, especially as Miami stressed a 14-point cushion late in the game. This win validates a team that went 32-1, boasting the first undefeated regular season since Gonzaga in 2021. They had to sweat Selection Sunday after a late MAC tournament loss put them on the bubble.

1:04SMU fought back hard, tying the game early in the second half, and getting 20 points and 11 rebounds from Jaden Tooms, plus 18 from, Geron Pierre, Jr. But they cooled off from three, making just five of 21, ending their season at 20 wins and 14 losses. Earlier that night, Prairie View A&M grabbed their first-ever tournament win, topping Lehigh 67-55. Now the bracket set, and Miami looks ready to keep the momentum going against Tennessee.