No. 11 Miami Set to Clash With No. 11 SMU in First Four Wednesday Night

Wednesday, March 18

Dayton, Ohio

9:15 p.m.

Miami University

SMU

Photo by: Megan Walker

No. 11 Miami Set to Clash With No. 11 SMU in First Four Wednesday Night

3/16/2026 5:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Miami First Four Notes SMU First Four Notes

WEDNESDAY: Miami opens NCAA Tournament play on Wednesday, March 18 at 9:15 p.m. against SMU in the First Four in Dayton, Ohio. The RedHawks (31-1) and Mustangs (20-13) are No. 11 seeds in the Midwest Region, with the winner scheduled to take on sixth-seeded Tennessee Friday in Philadelphia, Pa. Miami became the first Mid-American Conference team to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament since the Wally Szczerbiak-led RedHawks made the Sweet 16 in 1999. This is Miami's first appearance in March Madness since 2007. Miami set records this year for the best start to a season in program history, the best start for a program in MAC history, the longest win streak in MAC history, the most consecutive conference wins in MAC history and the most wins in program history as the Red and White became just the fifth NCAA D-I men's program this century to go undefeated in regular-season play.

ABOUT SMU: SMU enters the NCAA Tournament with a 20-13 record (8-10 ACC), as the Mustangs fell 62-58 to Louisville in the second round of the ACC Tournament last Wednesday. SMU went 24-11 (13-7 ACC) last year, head coach Andy Enfield's first season, and participated in the NIT. Enfield has enjoyed success in the NCAA Tournament at his previous head coaching stops, including a Cinderella run to the Sweet 16 with Florida Gulf Coast in 2013 and taking the USC Trojans to the NCAAs five times (highlighted by a 2021 Elite Eight run). Heading into the 2025-26 season, SMU was selected to finish sixth of 18 teams in the ACC preseason poll. Five Mustangs average in double figures, paced by senior guards Boopie Miller (19.2 ppg) and Jaron Pierre Jr. (17.6). 7-foot-2 sophomore Samet Yiğitoğlu leads SMU in rebounds (7.9) and blocks (1.3). Miller tops the team in assists (6.4), while senior guard B.J. Edwards leads the Mustangs in steals (2.3).

THE SERIES WITH THE MUSTANGS: This Wednesday's game against the Mustangs will be the third all-time meeting between the two programs, with all three coming at neutral sites. SMU is 2-0 in the series, defeating Miami 83-69 in Pullman, Wash. on March 16, 1984 and beating the RedHawks 66-55 in West Lafayette, Ind. on Dec. 20, 2003.

RECENT ACTION: Miami dropped its first game of the season last Thursday, falling in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio. Leonardo Bettiol scored a game-high 25 points as eighth-seeded Massachusetts rallied in the second half to upset top-seeded Miami 87-83. Brant Byers led five players in double figures for the No. 20 RedHawks with 17 points as Miami moved to 31-1 on the year. UMass outrebounded Miami 41-24 (including 17 offensive rebounds), out-scoring the RedHawks 23-8 in second-chance points and 54-30 in points in the paint.

NATIONAL RANKINGS: Miami moved into the national rankings for the first time since Feb. 15, 1999 on Monday, Jan 19 and climbed as high as No. 19, their highest ranking since March 13, 1978. The RedHawks became the first team from the MAC selected in the poll since the 2018-19 Buffalo Bulls. Miami is currently receiving votes in both polls heading into the Big Dance. The RedHawks have also been a fixture at the top of CollegeInsider.com's Mid-Major Top 25® Poll this season and were ranked No. 2 in that poll this week.

NATIONAL LEADERS: Miami ranks among the top of the nation in numerous statistical categories heading into this game, which includes being first in field goal percentage (52.4), first in the country in effective field goal percentage (0.612), second in scoring offense (90.7), seventh in scoring margin (15.4), ninth in three-point percentage (39.2), 26th in defensive rebounds per game (27.19), 25th in threes per game (10.4), 42nd in assist/turnover ratio (1.54), 54th in turnover margin (2.4), 55th in assists per game (16.1), 70th in bench points per game (25.97) and 84th in free throw percentage (74.9).

HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Miami is just the fifth program this century (NCAA Division I) to go undefeated during regular-season play. The other teams to reach this accomplishment include Saint Joseph's (2003-04), Wichita State (2013-14), Kentucky (2014-15) and Gonzaga (2020-21). The Red and White also became the first team since Indiana State (1978-79) to enter its conference tournament unbeaten after being unranked in the preseason AP poll.