Miami (Ohio) gets help from raucous crowd on way to first March Madness win in 27 years

The Miami (Ohio) RedHawks men’s hoops squad showed Wednesday nighttime that they beryllium successful nan large creation arsenic they defeated SMU, 89-79, to triumph their First Four crippled and participate nan NCAA Tournament arsenic nan No. 11 seed.

The RedHawks sewage immoderate thief from their fans during nan game. Some of nan student conception that traveled to Dayton, Ohio, for nan crippled wore aquatics trunks and caps. At 1 constituent during nan 2nd half, they successfully distracted an SMU subordinate astatine nan foul line.

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Miami (Ohio) defender Eian Elmer (0) dunks during nan 2nd half of a First Four assemblage hoops crippled against SMU successful nan NCAA Tournament successful Dayton, Ohio, Wednesday, March 18, 2026.  (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Miami had a home-court advantage contempt not playing astatine their ain gym. The RedHawks only had to recreation astir 25 miles to Dayton for nan game.

Eian Elmer contributed 23 points connected nan RedHawks’ measurement to their first tourney triumph successful 27 years. Elmer made six 3-pointers. The squad besides received 19 points from Brant Byers and 17 points from Luke Skalijac.

"The connection I gave our guys earlier nan crippled was they should time off nary uncertainty pinch who nan much attacking squad was," Miami (Ohio) coach Travis Steele said. "I thought that was very evident from nan jump shot each nan measurement to nan extremity of nan game."

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Miami (Ohio) caput coach Travis Steele, center, is interviewed pursuing a First Four assemblage hoops crippled against SMU successful nan NCAA Tournament successful Dayton, Ohio, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Miami vanished nan regular play 31-0, but was ousted early from nan Mid-American Conference postseason tournament, putting them connected nan bubble to get into nan section of 68. They were selected arsenic a squad that played successful nan First Four games.

Despite nan backmost and distant among pundits and critics, Miami was capable to put each nan sound distant and support attraction to triumph nan game. It's Miami's first tourney triumph successful 27 years.

"We’re not really focused connected proving whether we belong, honestly," Elmer said. "Everybody successful nan locker room thinks we do. I conscionable deliberation if thing we’re conscionable going to spell retired there, play our hardest and person fun."

SMU’s Jaden Toombs led SMU pinch 20 points and 11 rebounds. Jaron Pierre Jr. added 18. SMU is still successful hunt of their first tourney triumph since 1988.

SMU halfway Jaden Toombs (10) reacts pursuing a First Four assemblage hoops crippled against Miami (Ohio) successful nan NCAA Tournament successful Dayton, Ohio, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

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Miami will now play Tennessee successful nan section of 64 games connected Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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