I am dubbing this game “Bruce Pearl Shut Your Damn Mouth” night. Win 30 here we come! The game is completely sold out including student tickets.
The RedHawks host Toledo Tuesday, March 3 at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. With a win, Miami would secure its first MAC regular-season title since the 2004-05 season. The Red and White enter this Tuesday’s game as the only remaining undefeated team in the country with a 29-0 (16-0 MAC) record, its best start to a season in program history. Miami holds a new program record for wins in a season, breaking the mark of 25 established last year. The RedHawks hold the program record for most consecutive road wins overall (14) and in a season (13) as well. The Red and White have also secured the best start for a program in MAC history (originally set by WMU in 1975-76 at 19-0) and the longest win streak in MAC history (originally set by Kent State in 2001-02 at 21-0).
Toledo is currently 16-13 (10-6 MAC), as the Rockets are currently on a three-game win streak with wins over Eastern Michigan (94-75), Northern Illinois (79-69) and Ohio (79-67). Toledo went 18-15 (10-8 MAC) last year. Head coach Tod Kowalczyk is in his 16th season with the Rockets. Heading into the 2025-26 season, Toledo was selected to finish sixth overall in the 2025-26 MAC Preseason Men’s Basketball Poll. Junior guard Sonny Wilson was selected as a Preseason Second Team All-MAC player. Wilson (17.3/game) and freshman guard Leroy Blyden Jr. (15.9/game) lead the Rockets offense in points. Wilson (4.5/game) and Blyden Jr. (4.2/game) also lead the team in assists, while Blyden Jr. averages the most steals (1.7/game). Senior forward Sean Craig averages the most rebounds (7.4/game) and junior center Austin Parks has totaled the most blocks (1.4/game).
No chance in the Millet era. The top 10 capacity crowds before the season included one under capacity. Wallys last year they had great crowds (averaged 6,400) but I am not even sure they had a sellout
In the first game, we played 32 minutes of close to near-perfect basketball. Toledo trailed our ballhandlers around ball screens and played drop coverage, allowing us to find the open man since they were in effect double teaming the ball. On the drive, helpside collapsed to the ball, allowing for kickouts to open shooters. I can’t imagine they’d do that again. I would expect more ball pressure and less help on the drive, make us play 1-on-1 as a lot of teams have recently. We can’t just stand around the perimeter and wait for kickouts. There needs to be some movement around the 3-point line. Woolfolk had a big game in the 1st game. It would be great to get something similar Tuesday. The one thing Toledo does defensively is force turnovers. When the doubles do come, we need to make the smart play.
Defensively, we have to do our best to stay with Wilson and Blyden. Toledo’s ballhandlers shoot the ball pretty well from 3, but they don’t take a lot of 3s. They want to get into the lane and play inside out. They do a good job of constantly moving on offense, especially in bringing Craig up top to work for a 3 or to the basket. Blyden will look to take the 3, we can’t help off him or Craig. They will score. We need to make them work defensively.
I’ll be curious to see the plan for Skaljac. Toledo doesn’t put a lot of pressure on the ball and the concern would be contact to that right wrist as he protects the ball. If he plays, I’d play him off the ball some and trust Perry and Suder to initiate things more often.
Toledo’s in an interesting position for this game too. They’re locked in at the 4, looking at a semifinal game with us next week. How much do you keep in your back pocket? They’ll obviously play hard, but will it be the same way they’ve played all year?
Let’s keep it simple. Protect the home court. Only worry about Tuesday. Block out the noise because it’s getting louder. Trust the work you’ve put in and play loose. Easier said than done, but get the ball moving and play hard.
Good crowds in ‘98-’99, and a few GREAT crowds during that time, but certainly never 4 straight sellouts. Soak up every minute. We might be clamoring for tickets every year for the next several - or this may be a ‘once every 25 years’ sort of thing.
It’s March. It’s Tod Kowalczyk. Handle your business and let all 10,640 screaming maniacs have a great time. Get ready for a trip into the fiery pits of Hell. Fuck Bruce Pearl.
I assume I would have seen it because I have all Miami media pumped directly into my veins these days, but did anything ever come out about Byers? Just an off night in Kalamazoo or sick? He was not himself and only played 23 minutes taking 2 total shots, even with Suder fouled out. Steele didn’t even play him in crunch time when we needed scoring.
With Luke questionable and definitely not 100%, we need Byers to be back to himself.
This was not the first time Byers has been benched in crunch time of a close game. I can’t remember the first instance, but Steele brought it up on the next Zoom call saying that he has no issue benching starters down the stretch if he thinks someone is giving them better minutes.
That said, I do get the sense injuries and illness have piled up on us a bit of late. Skaljac obviously missed the last game (and remains heavily bandaged) and Elmer was clearly dealing with a wrist injury of his own. Woolfolk checked himself out at UMass at one point, complaining about his back, and he is wearing a pad anytime he is not in the game. Steele has made multiple references to illness making its way around the team as well.
Obviously, we’ll see where we are with Skaljac and Elmer tonight, but hopefully we are on the back end of the maladies going into March basketball.
Not the first lull for Byers this season and he has bounced back. He is high up on scouting reports because he can cause damage from 3 but he’s also one of the easier Miami players to take out of a game. Most teams have made him uncomfortable and pushed him 3-4 ft off the 3 point line. And then there is the accumulation of a ton of hard hits and falls he has taken.
Hopefully a few nights sleeping in his own bed and routine will help.
Benched Kam Craft multiple times last year in crunch time. If memory serves, he benched Woolfolk down the stretch when we played Kent at home.
And yeah, I don’t know what the fuck was wrong with Byers. It’s not just Western. He’s been a little off for a few games now. He’s added the ability to get to the rim and finish this year, but with that he’s taken a lot of contact to a frame that isn’t real hefty to begin with. Wonder if that’s taken a toll. Adding strength should be a priority for him in the offseason. Hopefully with the help of Miami’s strength team.
Sayler said on the barstool interview that our best player (Suder) fouled out with 10 minutes left and “one of our other best players was recovering from the flu.” Gotta think that was Byers.
