The Miami University RedHawks men’s basketball team (20-7, 11-3 in conference play) won an instant classic in overtime over the Kent State University Golden Flashes (18-9, 8-6 in conference play). Miami took its victory 96-92 after tying the game 82-82 late in the second half.
On Love.Honor.Care night in front of 6,339 fans, the RedHawks and Golden Flashes put on a show. Miami junior guard Peter Suder, whom head coach Travis Steele called a “swiss army knife” postgame, led the way with 22 points, including a critical 3-pointer with 1:03 left in the game. Suder also reached 1,000 career points with a first-half layup.
Sophomore wing Eian Elmer added 17 points while hitting five 3-point field goals. Elmer hit the game winning triple with 21 seconds left in overtime.
The game-winner wasn’t the only way Elmer contributed in the clutch. The sophomore from Cincinnati had the game-saving block against sophomore guard Cian Medley with 2.6 seconds left in regulation.
Miami had 34 points off the bench, including 12 from redshirt first-year wing Brant Byers. Going into tonight’s game, Byers averaged 8.3 points per game.
Both team’s 3-point shooting was on full display in this matchup between two top Mid-American Conference (MAC) teams. The teams shot 50% from beyond the arc, with the RedHawks shooting 14-28. The Golden Flashes shot 7-14 and entered the matchup shooting 29.9% from 3-point range, the third-lowest in the MAC.
Senior guard Jalen Sullinger and junior forward Delrecco Gillespie led the Golden Flashes with 20 points a piece. Leading scorer VonCameron Davis, the MAC’s second-best scorer with his 15.6 points per game average, scored seven points on five shots against Miami.
The nationally-televised affair was close from tip-off to the final whistle. There were 18 lead chances and 14 ties during the game. The RedHawks held the largest lead of the game at eight points late in the first half.
There were plenty of milestones associated with tonight’s victory. Miami secured its first 20-win season since 1999, and with 11 MAC wins, the RedHawks guaranteed themselves a winning conference record for the first time since 2011. The win also locked in Miami’s bid to Cleveland for the MAC tournament.
Miami remains at No. 2 in MAC standings. The RedHawks are back at Millett Hall on Feb. 25 against the Northern Illinois University Huskies.
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