Miami (Ohio) gets help from raucous crowd on way to first March Madness win in 27 years

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The Miami (Ohio) RedHawks men’s basketball team showed Wednesday night that they belong in the big dance as they defeated SMU, 89-79, to win their First Four game and enter the NCAA Tournament as the No. 11 seed.

The RedHawks got some help from their fans during the game. Some of the student section that traveled to Dayton, Ohio, for the game wore swim trunks and caps. At one point during the second half, they successfully distracted an SMU player at the foul line.

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Miami (Ohio) guard Eian Elmer (0) dunks during the second half of a First Four college basketball game against SMU in the NCAA Tournament in Dayton, Ohio, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Miami had a home-court advantage despite not playing at their own gym. The RedHawks only had to travel about 25 miles to Dayton for the game.

Eian Elmer contributed 23 points on the RedHawks’ way to their first tournament win in 27 years. Elmer made six 3-pointers. The team also received 19 points from Brant Byers and 17 points from Luke Skalijac.

"The message I gave our guys before the game was they should leave no doubt with who the more attacking team was," Miami (Ohio) coach Travis Steele said. "I thought that was very evident from the jump ball all the way to the end of the game."

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Miami (Ohio) head coach Travis Steele, center, is interviewed following a First Four college basketball game against SMU in the NCAA Tournament in Dayton, Ohio, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Miami finished the regular season 31-0, but was ousted early from the