Ah, spring is here at last.
However, we must remember we are in the Ohio Valley, so we can’t be too sure. With spring comes March, and with March, madness ensues as well.
The timing of today’s thoughts is somewhat out of whack; you may or may not have noticed, but I didn’t have a Wednesday column, so this is replacing that.
The reason for the delay?
Well, the old car has been giving me fits again as it goes in and out of the shop for repairs, and ol’ Chuck has been rather discombobulated during a stress-filled week.
It is time to throw a few words out there about the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament — aka March Madness — and the tentative plan for the Saturday column is that it will be a “throwback” or a “blast from the past” if you will.
Looking ahead to next Wednesday, the plan is to shift our focus to the beginning of the Major League Baseball season, and the hopes and dreams of the loyal fanbase of the Cincinnati Reds for the 2026 campaign.
RedHawks show they belong
If you’ve been reading my thoughts during the current college basketball season, you already know how I feel about what the Miami RedHawks have accomplished during what can only be described as a dream season. The beat goes on for the team from Oxford, Ohio and the charming campus nestled in that small town north of Cincinnati, where they enjoy playing the game of basketball the right way.
The RedHawks showed the doubters and haters around the nation on Wednesday night that the bid they received to the dance was well-deserved, and it could be argued Miami should’ve gotten an even higher bid. Despite their 31-1 record, they were relegated to the final
First Four matchup as an 11-seed, where they faced off against favored Southern Methodist University from the Atlantic Coast Conference.
After a slow start likely due to a bit of nerves and the players being overly anxious to please what was essentially a home crowd in Dayton’s UD Arena, Miami put on a display of fearless basketball to confound SMU on their way to an 89-79 victory. The RedHawks’ offense, which features crisp passing and an abundance of long-range attempts from beyond the 3-point line, is a joy to watch for any true basketball fan.
Not only that, but their offensive philosophy proved successful against a much bigger and more athletic team from a so-called power conference. The final margin of 10 points in their 89-79 triumph could have easily been even higher, but of even greater importance is that the RedHawks advanced to play Tennessee in the first round this afternoon in an East Region clash in Philadelphia.
Miami bombed away from deep, and connecting on 16 of 41 three-point attempts, and matched the taller Mustangs in the battle of the boards (35-35). The way the offense is designed by head coach Travis Steele places an emphasis on getting as many open transition buckets as possible, and the team speed was on display the entire evening. Several of Miami’s passes that were converted into quick baskets were highlight worthy, and the team fires away from behind the arc with no hesitation.
The RedHawks also play with total unselfishness, and the roster is dotted with a multitude of capable outside weapons at Steele’s disposal. Among the bombers from deep are senior team leader Peter Suder, junior guard Eian Elmer, sophomore forward Brant Byers, along with a pair of key reserves, junior forward Almar Atlason and freshman Justin Kirby.
Making the team go is backup point guard Luke Skaljac, who took over the position when former Covington Catholic star Evan Ipsaro was lost for the season in December after tearing an arterior cruciate knee ligament. At the time, Ipsaro was leading Miami in scoring (14.8 ppg), but Skaljac, a left-handed sophomore from Brecksville, Ohio, hasn’t missed a beat. His backup, freshman Trey Perry, has also contributed critical minutes, and nailed a pair of winning shots as well.
Team balance has also greatly contributed to Miami’s success this season, with seven players averaging in double figures in the scoring column. The RedHawks lead the nation in field goal percentage (52.2 %), they average 90.7 points per game, second only to Alabama in Division I, and they’re also among the leaders in both 3-point attempts and accuracy.
As the season has evolved, Steele has emphasized the need for better defense, and while they’re still far from elite on that end of the court, they have shown tremendous improvement in recent games. Stopping quicker, more athletic players will likely be a continuing issue, and allowing too many offensive rebounds could prove to be Miami’s downfall against a physical Tennessee front line.
That’s where their outside shooting prowess will be critical to any hopes of pulling off an upset of the Volunteers. As I have repeatedly said, I’m not a betting man, but I would not bet against Miami, a team that knows precisely what it wants to do, and usually does just that.
Which version of the Cats shows up?
In a season marked by inconsistency, the Kentucky Wildcats appear to have gotten one tough 10-seed opponent in the Santa Clara Broncos. Most predictions I have seen from the so-called college hoops experts aren’t giving the Cats much of a chance, despite being the higher seeded team.
What it all comes down to is which Kentucky team hits the floor in St. Louis this afternoon. Will it be the one that defeated Tennessee twice, won at Arkansas, upended St. John’s, or the one that was embarrassed by Gonzaga and at Vanderbilt during its roller coaster campaign?
If it’s the former, I can see UK getting past Santa Clara, but if it’s the latter, they will be one-and-done in the tournament. The Broncos are definitely a well-coached unit, with former UK assistant and former Miami, NC State and Arizona State head coach Herb Sendek leading the Broncos.
The matchup looks to be a real challenge for Kentucky, and even if they are able to pull out a win, they will likely face an even more uphill battle on Sunday when the Midwest Region’s No. 2 seed, Iowa State, will be looming, barring what would be a ginormous upset to 15-seed Tennessee State.
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“When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.” – Mark Twain
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