OXFORD, Ohio— The Miami University men’s basketball team is heading to the NCAA Tournament.
The RedHawks, who went undefeated during the regular season and boast a 31-1 overall record, will open tournament play in the First Four on Wednesday, March 18 against fellow No. 11 seed SMU at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. The winner will travel to Philadelphia and take on sixth-seeded Tennessee in Midwest Region first-round action on Friday, March 20. The second-round games in Philadelphia will be Sunday, March 22.
The regional semifinals and final will be held the following weekend (March 27 and 29, respectively) at the United Center in Chicago, followed by the Final Four in Indianapolis (April 4-6).
Miami earned an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2007 and becomes the first Mid-American Conference team to get an at-large bid since the Wally Szczerbiak-led RedHawks advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1999.
Led by MAC Coach of the Year Travis Steele and MAC Player of the Year Peter Suder, the RedHawks entered the postseason averaging 90.9 points per game (second in the country) and leading the nation in field goal percentage (52.6%), with seven different players averaging double-figure scoring this season. Miami has been a fixture in the national polls over the past two months, including earning the program’s highest ranking since 1978, and is currently No. 20.
Miami set records this year for the best start to a season in program history, the best start for a program in MAC history, the longest win streak in MAC history, the most consecutive conference wins in MAC history and the most wins in program history as the Red and White became just the fifth NCAA D-I men’s program this century to go undefeated in regular-season play.
Check back to MiamiRedHawks.com later tonight for selection show reactions from the Red and White and updated info on tip times, television coverage, tickets and more.
