Preview: Men’s basketball rematches Ohio on the road

The Miami University RedHawks men’s basketball team (21-7, 12-3 in conference play) enters the final three games of the 2024-25 regular season with a road matchup against the Ohio University Bobcats (15-13, 9-6 in conference play).

The RedHawks reverted to their winning ways with back-to-back victories over the Kent State University Golden Flashes on Feb. 21 and the Northern Illinois University Huskies on Feb. 25.

Those wins pushed Miami over 20 wins for the first time since 1998-99. The RedHawks also secured a spot at the Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament with their win over Kent State on Feb. 21.

The Bobcats also earned their spot in Cleveland when they handed the University of Akron Zips their first loss in conference play on Feb. 22.

After Ohio dropped the first Battle of the Bricks at Millett on Feb. 1, the team went 4-2 against MAC opponents. These wins included a decisive 94-69 victory over Western Michigan and close matchups against Bowling Green and Central Michigan, but the Bobcats’ standout performance against the Zips marked a turning point for their season.

Three players posted double-digit points against Akron, with junior guard Jackson Paveletzke leading the Bobcats with 21 points. Ohio led for nearly the entire game after taking the advantage six minutes into the first half.

However, the Bobcats followed their victory with a 82-73 loss against Western Michigan on Feb. 25.

Graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell played his third-best game of the season with 21 points, but the Bobcats allowed the Broncos to outscore them in both halves while out-rebounding them 32 to 22.

AJ Clayton, who ranks 14th in the MAC with his 14.2 points per game average, only contributed six points against the Broncos. The senior forward has scored double-digit points in six games since conference play began, including 31 points against Northern Illinois on Jan. 11.

Ohio enters the second Battle of the Bricks at fifth-place in the MAC. Meanwhile, Miami comfortably sits at second, three wins ahead of the No. 3 Golden Flashes (19-9, 9-6 in conference play).

Even without a top 10 scorer in the conference, the RedHawks average the second-highest points per game at 81.6. Four players average more than 10 points against MAC opponents, led by junior guard Peter Suder (13.1).

Sophomore wing Eian Elmer and redshirt first-year wing Brant Byers led Miami with 22 points each against Northern Illinois. The duo sank nine of the team’s 12 triples.

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The RedHawks hold their best record in over 20 years, but head coach Travis Steele repeatedly expresses that the ultimate goal is to win three games in three days at the MAC tournament.

To set themselves up for success in Cleveland, the RedHawks need to finish the regular season stronger than last year. Miami dropped three-straight games, including a first-round exit at the conference tournament, to close out the 2023-24 season.

A win against Ohio will not only push Miami further in the right direction, but it would be the first time since 2019 that the RedHawks won consecutive games against the Bobcats.

Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Athens. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, and it will be followed by the women’s basketball matchup.

@thekethan04

babukc2@miamioh.edu