CLEVELAND – Twelve score ties characterized the entire game. However, the Miami University RedHawks men’s basketball team rallied in the last 10 minutes of the second half to take a 81-75 win over the Eastern Michigan University Eagles in the quarter finals of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament.
“This is the best time of the year,” Miami head coach Travis Steele said. “It’s what we all work towards, and our guys know that … I’ve told our guys [to] embrace the moment, lean right into it [and] have fun.”
With the game tied 29-29 going into the second half, neither team let the other hold more than a two-score advantage. Miami broke this trend with a 15-2 run going into the final three minutes to ultimately take the game by six points.
Redshirt sophomore wing Kam Craft matched Eastern Michigan’s Christian Henry with 24 points to lead Miami’s roster. Craft shot 9-13 (69.2%) from the field and sank six 3-pointers.
Senior guard Jalen Terry and senior forward Da’Sean Nelson joined Henry in the double-figures with 21 and 17 points, respectively. The Eagles turned the ball over nine times to Miami’s 14 and finished with eight steals to the RedHawks’ three.
Sophomore center Reece Potter played one of his best games of the season with 15 points for the RedHawks, his second-most in 2024-25. Sophomore guard Evan Ipsaro brought in another 14 points, followed by sophomore wing Eian Elmer with eight.
Junior guard Peter Suder played a quiet game following last week’s early exit against the Ball State University Cardinals. Suder sank five free throws towards his seven points, just three shy of a triple double thanks to his 10 assists and 10 rebounds.
“He didn’t practice all week, which I was concerned with,” Steele said. “Peter’s such a warrior. He’s gonna play … but you could tell he’s a little bit out of his rhythm on the offensive end … He’s got fresh legs, so hopefully he’ll gain his rhythm back here offensively.”
Sophomore guard Evan Ipsaro shoots a free throw at Rocket Mortgage Arena on March 13
Miami dominated the first four minutes of play, jumping to a 12-3 lead coming out of the first media timeout. However, the Eagles climbed back from their deficit and tied the game 14-14 going into the 11-minute mark.
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The RedHawks briefly held a 21-16 lead thanks to a Craft triple, but Terry sank a deep shot of his own 40 seconds later to bring the game back within two points. Terry later traded triples with first-year wing Luke Skaljac to keep the game within one score.
Terry’s fifth 3-pointer of the half gave Eastern Michigan a short-lived 27-24 lead. Redshirt first-year wing Brant Byers leveled the game again with another triple going into the final three minutes of the half.
Neither team scored for over a minute, and layups from both teams sent the game into half at 29-29.
Despite the slow start, the RedHawks scored 52 points in the second half, nearly double what they put up in the first 20 minutes.
“I thought we struggled offensively in the first half,” Craft said. “[But] we scored 50 points in the second half. We just started producing and doing what we normally do … Water always finds its level, as coach says. We showed that in the second half.”
The Eagles struck first with a Nelson layup to open the second half. The first 10 minutes continued the trend of the opening half, and Eastern Michigan held a 52-50 lead going into the final stretch.
After tying the game 59-59, the RedHawks scored 15 points while allowing one jumpshot in return. Potter contributed seven of those points, including two dunks.
Having now scored in nearly three minutes, the Eagles closed the gap slightly with a pair of free throws from Nelson. However, the deficit proved impossible to overcome.
Following one more triple from Nelson, the RedHawks took their first postseason victory under Steele 81-75.
As has been the case all season, Miami’s bench proved to be an essential factor to its win. The RedHawks scored 35 points off the bench, led by Potter with 15.
“That’s every night for us,” Potter said. “[It’s] strength in numbers, as our coach says. We pride ourselves in that … We think all nine guys can play anywhere in the country.”
Miami plays in the semi-finals on March 14 against the No. 3 Kent State University Golden Flashes.
Kent State handled the No. 6 Western Michigan University Broncos 73-66. Marquis Barnett led both teams with 18 points.
The RedHawks won two games against the Golden Flashes during the regular season, including an overtime win on national television.
Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 7:30 p.m.
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