MIAMI NOTES - BASKETBALL

No. 23 RedHawks-Bobcats battle on national stage

Almar Atlason was Miami's only incoming transfer this year. (MVSmith/MRO file)

Suffice it to say, Battle of the Bricks contests are usually hard-fought. This Friday's (9 p.m.) Miami vs. Ohio basketball game should be no exception. If anything, it will likely be a fiercely contested battle on the court and high entertainment event for both a capacity crowd at Millett Hall and national television audience watching on ESPN. 

Miami is not only ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, it is the last undefeated NCAA Division I men's basketball team. Previously undefeated Arizona absorbed its first defeat Monday at Kansas. 

The RedHawks have . . .

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Antwone Woolfolk scrambles for a loose ball during a recent Miami game. (MVSmith/MRO file)

. . . had a bullseye on them for quite a while now, but the idea of handing MU a loss has only become sweeter -- especially for a long-time rival.

The two teams split last year -- each winning on its own court. Miami prevailed 73-61 on Feb. 1. Ohio posted a 75-66 win at the Convocation Center one month later. They will meet twice again this year, with MU visiting Athens for a March 6 regular season-finale. 

While the RedHawks 2025-26 record is filled with "W's," Ohio has experienced an up-and-down campaign. The Bobcats lost six of their first seven games before winning nine of the next 10. Since that streak, Ohio is 3-5. That brings them to Oxford with a 13-12 mark overall (7-5 MAC). The latter is good enough to feel moderately comfortable about reaching Cleveland as part of the eight-team MAC Tournament field. As for seeding, well ... moving up won't be easy. 

Ohio's most recent outing was a 78-72 loss at Old Dominion in Saturday's MAC-Sunbelt Challenge series.  Prior to that, the 'Cats cruised past Western Michigan 91-71 and bumped off Buffalo 95 to 83.

In last year's 75-68 home court win over Miami, forward AJ Clayton once again led the way against MU, hitting 8 of 12 from the field while scoring a game high 20 points. Vic Searls (13), Elmore James IV (12) and Shereef Mitchell (11) also reached double figures. None of those players are on this year's roster. 

Senior guard Jackson Paveletzke (6-1) leads the current Bobcats with an average of 16.6 ppg. He can score from distance but also has a array of moves that enables him to get inside and/or draw fouls. He leads the team in made free throws (115).

Two other Bobcats also average double figures: Aiden Hadaway (14.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg) and Javan Simmons (14.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg). Senior guard Ajay Sheldon (7.4 ppg) leads the team in 3-point goals attempted (132) and made (49). Freshman guard JJ Kelly has reached double figures in five of his last six games.

As a team. Ohio ranks eighth (MAC) in scoring (77.7 ppg) and is ninth (MAC) in scoring defense (77.3 ppg). 

Miami, meanwhile, is hitting 53.6 percent field goal (1st MAC). The RedHawks have connected on 39.8 percent from beyond the arc. (1st MAC) and are second in free throw percentage (76.8 percent). 

Five RedHawks average double figures in scoring: Brant Byers (14.8 ppg), Peter Suder (14.2 ppg), Eian Elmore (11.8 ppg, 6 rpg) and Almar Atlason (10.8 ppg). Luke Skaljac, who took over for Evan Ipsaro (ACL - out for season) is averaging 9.7 ppg, while freshman guard Justin Kirby has been a scoring (7.8 ppg) and rebounding (3.5 rpg) contributor since "burning" his redshirt. 


MU is coming off a 90-84 road win over Marshall. Elmer led the 'Hawks to their 24th straight victory with 18 points and nine rebounds.  The RedHawks led by as many as 24 but Marshall closed to nine several times in the second half before falling by 16. 

Miami leads the MAC in scoring (92.7 ppg) and is fifth in scoring defense (74.3 ppg). The RedHawks' scoring margin of +18.4 ppg tops all MAC teams. 

Brant Byers passes off of a baseline drive. (MVSmith/MRO file)

MORE NOTES:
• The Bobcats are currently  ranked 216 in the latest NET  rankings, with opponent  Miami in at 50.
• Ohio is 26-8 against Miami  since 2009-10, while the  Bobcats are 9-2 against the  RedHawks under Jeff Boals. 
• This is the 217th all-time meeting  between Ohio and Miami.  Ohio leads the all-time series,  120-96.
• With Miami’s most recent home win against NIU (85-61), the  RedHawks extended their home win streak to 28 games (most consecutive home wins in program  history). Last season, Miami set a new record of 15 straight home wins over the course of one season. The RedHawks are currently tied with Akron (28) and Duke (28) for the longest home winning  streak in the nation.
•  Since the start of MAC play, senior forward Antwone Woolfolk is first in  the conference in field goal percentage (68.5%), tied for eighth in steals (1.7/game) and tied for 10th in  blocks (1.0/game). Junior wing Eian Elmer is tied for fifth in three-point field goal percentage (44.1%)  and is also tied for 10th in blocks (1.0/game). Senior guard Peter Suder holds the seventh spot in  assists (5.4/game) and sophomore guard Luke Skaljac follows closely behind at ninth (4.7/game). 
•  Sophomore guard Luke Skaljac ranks third in the MAC and 45th 
nationally in assist/turnover ratio. Skaljac leads the team with a ratio of 2.84. Senior guard Peter Suder  ranks fifth in the MAC and 57th in the country from the field at 55.9%.