MIAMI BASKETBALL

MU holds off Toledo; claims regular season title

Eian Elmer was one of many Miami players to cut down the nets after securing a regular season MAC championship. (MVSmith/MRO)

By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, Oh -- One word that doesn't really fit the Miami RedHawks record-breaking 2025-26 season is "EASY."
Miami clinched the Mid-American Conference regular season title Tuesday, but as has often been the case, it didn't come easy.
​Down by just two points with five seconds remaining, visiting Toledo grabbed a missed free throw and raced to the other end. Leroy Blyden's drive, however, was smothered by a pair of Miami defenders. Luke Skaljac came away with the ball and drew a foul. Just 1/10th of a second remained, so his subsequent miss was inconsequential. Miami owned a 74-72 win. Confetti and a net-cutting ceremony soon followed. 

The regular season MAC champs are . . . 

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Luke Skaljac considers his options while driving the baseline. (MVSmith/MRO)

. . . now 30-0 on the season and 17-0 in conference play. Toledo, which had won three straight and four of its last five, drops to 16-14 overall (10-7 MAC).  
Miami never trailed in Tuesday's contest and built up a 13-point advantage (31-18) at 7:43 of the opening period. However, Toledo cut its deficit to five (40-35) at the break. 

After intermission. MU expanded its edge to nine points (54-45) following Brant Byers triple at 12:32.  Toledo then went on a 10-2 run, with Austin Parks' layup at 9:32 leaving UT down by one (56-55).

UT thrived inside, eventually outscoring Miami 48-26 in the paint. It also had a 10-0 advantage in fast break points.

Eian Elmer's block and a triple, followed by two Skaljac free throws stemmed the Toledo tide, and MU maintained a two-possession edge until Blyden drained a jumper in the paint with 1:01 remaining.

Clinging to a 72-70 lead, Miami called a time out. Shortly after play resumed, Skaljac threaded a bounce pass to Woolfolk who finished at the hoop for MU's final points. 

Will James Jr. cut the margin in half with a layup at 00:24, but Toledo was unable to get another basket, coming up two points short at the final horn. 

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Sean Craig (7) holds back Peter Suder (5) and Brant Byers (22) while Leroy Byden Jr. goes after a rebound. The loose ball bounced off a Toledo player, giving Miami possession. (MVSmith'MRO)

Peter Suder draws a foul while driving to the basket in first hgalf action. The senior led MU with 19 points. (MVSmith/MRO)

Blyden Jr led all scorers with 21 points. Sonny Wilson (13) and Mynor Strong (10) also reached double figures for Toledo.

Peter Suder topped MU with 19 points. He connected on 7 of 10 from the field overall and 4 of 7 treys. Antwone  Woolfolk added 14, while Byers (13) and Skaljac (11) rounded out double-figure scoring for the hosts. 

"I'm happy for our guys, happy for our staff…just really proud of them… We've come a long way,"  Miami head coach Travis Steele said after Miami had finally secured its first regular-season championship since 2005.

"It's been a lot of fun. It's all about our players: I'm happy for them, happy they're getting to experience this tonight. ... They'll have that memory with them for the rest of their lives, man. [You] can't take that away from them."

NEXT: Miami finishes the regular season Friday at Ohio (9 pm,, ESPN2). 
Toledo hosts Buffalo Friday (7 pm, ESPN+)

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Antwone Woolfolk (14 points) was one of four RedHawks in double figures. (MVSmith/MRO)

NOTES: 
•   The RedHawks final home game was another sellout crowd (10,540).
•   Toledo totaled five more field goals (32/67 - 27/54), but Miami had six more 3-point goals (12/32 -- 6/21) and made six more free throws ((8/14 -- 2/2).
•   Toledo scored 17 points off turnovers, while MU tallied seven. 
•  Steele previously said Saljac, who missed the Western Michigan game with a wrist area injury, would be available for Toledo. The sophomore started, albeit with a bandaged wrist, finishing with 11 points, 2 assists and 2 steals in 29 minutes. 
•   The RedHawks bench contributed nine points and eight rebounds. 
•   Toledo was credited with 13 steals. 

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Peter Suder hoists the 202526 Mid-American Conference regular season champion trophy. (MVSmith/MRO)