Miami University men's basketball opens the 2020-21 season at home as it welcomes the University of North Dakota to Millett Hall. Tip time is 1 p.m. and it will air live on ESPN3 or ESPN+. An audio broadcast will be available on the Miami Sports Network, powered by Pepsi.

OPENING NIGHT: Miami opens its 116th season on Wednesday, Nov. 25 when the RedHawks host North Dakota at 1 p.m. Miami is 75-40 (.652) in season-openers, including 57-13 (.814) when opening the season at home. Last season, the RedHawks were edged by Wright State in their season opener, which was in Millett Hall, 88-81. Miami's last win in its home opener was on Nov. 12, 2018 against Midway, 91-42. The last time Miami won its season opener was at Fordham on Nov. 10, 2017, 55-54. In home openers, the RedHawks boast a 93-23 (.800) record.

ABOUT NORTH DAKOTA: The Fighting Hawks return two starters from a team that posted a 15-18 mark under first-year head coach Paul Sather in 2019-20. UND advanced to the Summit League tournament title game before falling to North Dakota State. Filip Rebraca, the team's second-leading scorer (14.3 ppg) and leading rebounder (8.9 rpg) a season ago returns. Also returning is De'Sean Allen-Eikens, the team's third-leading score (13.8 ppg) and rebounder (4.8 rpg).

THE SERIES WITH NORTH DAKOTA: This is the first meeting between Miami and North Dakota.

TELEVISION
The matchup with North Dakota will be carried live on ESPN3 or ESPN+. Steve Baker will handle play-by-play duties, while Randy Hollowell will serve as the analyst. 

RADIO
In its second year of its partnership with Van Wagner, the Miami Sports Network, powered by Pepsi, continues its coverage of Miami Basketball with a group of affiliates blanketing most of Southwest Ohio and Southeast Indiana. The radio broadcast also will be carried via the TuneIn App. Terry Bridge will call the action. Tune-in to one of Miami's gameday affiliates:
WFMG-FM 101.3 (Richmond, Ind.)
WMOH-AM 1450 (Hamilton, Ohio)
WONE-AM 980 (Dayton, Ohio)
TuneIn App

CLOSING IN ON 1,000: Entering the season with 915 career points, senior forward Dalonte Brown is just 85 way from becoming 37th member of Miami's 1,000 Point Club. Last season, Brown averaged 9.5 ppg. At that pace, he would hit the 1,000-point plateau in Miami's ninth game.

OLDIES BUT GOODIES: Miami boasts five seniors on its 2020-21 roster and also features five juniors to provide the most-veteran squad in head coach Jack Owens' tenure. Among the senior group are fifth-year seniors Precious Ayah and Milos Jovic. They are joined by Dalonte Brown, Benjamin Litteken and Michael Ritchie. The junior class includes redshirt juniors Isaiah Coleman-Lands and James Beck. They are joined by Mekhi Lairy, Elijah McNamara and Josh Brewer.

FRESH FACES: New to the RedHawk roster are freshman center Jackson Ames, freshman forward Luka Eller and freshman guard Bryson Tatum. Although not new to the team, redshirt junior James Beck will be able to see his first game action in a Miami uniform after sitting out the 2019-20 season due to NCAA transfer guidelines.

GRAND ENTRANCE: Sophomore guard Dae Dae Grant made his presence felt quickly in his first season as a RedHawk in 2019-20. Grant played in all 32 games, making 29 starts for the Red and White and was the team's third-leading scorer, averaging 9.3 ppg. He was selected to the MAC All-Freshman team.

ODDS 'N ENDS
The last time Miami opened the season on November 25, the Red and White collected an 89-68 win at Eastern Kentucky to open the 1995-96 season. 

Miami was playing some of its best basketball at the end of the 2019-20 season. Despite being the No. 12 seed, the RedHawks went on the road and upset No. 5 seed Buffalo, 85-79, in the opening round of the MAC Tournament and were set to face No. 4 seed Northern Illinois—which Miami had split the regular-season series with—before the abrupt end to the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The RedHawks return 72 percent of their scoring and 66 percent of their rebounding from a season ago. Senior forward Dalonte Brown is Miami's top returning scorer, averaging 9.5 ppg last season and is followed by sophomore Dae Dae Grant (9.3 ppg), junior Mekhi Lairy (8.2 ppg) and redshirt junior guard Isaiah Coleman-Lands (8.1 ppg). Brown also is Miami's top returning rebounder, averaging 5.2 rpg.

UP NEXT: Miami returns to the court on Monday, November 30 to face Defiance College at 5:30 p.m. This is the third meeting between Miami and Defiance but the first since 1948. The RedHawks have won both meetings, including a 72-40 win on Dec. 4, 1947, and a 75-32 win on Dec. 7, 1948.