For Ohio coach Jeff Boals and his team, February did not start the way he and his players would have liked. A bitter 73-69 loss in front of a roaring, though smaller than Boals expected, crowd of Miami fans and students kicked off Ohio’s toughest month of the season.
With a rematch looming, Ohio has the chance to start March off right with a win over its rivals and hopes of its first Mid-American Conference Championship since 2021.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the matchup:
Game information
Opponent: Miami RedHawks (21-7, 12-3 MAC)
Location: The Convo
Time: Saturday at 1 p.m.
Where to watch: ESPN+
Follow live stats here.
Meet the opponent
Head coach: Travis Steele (third season, 92-48 record)
Projected starters:
No. 0, Eian Elmer
No. 4, Kam Craft
No. 5, Peter Suder
No. 11, Mekhi Cooper
No. 13, Antwone Woolfolk
Statistical leaders:
Points: Suder (13.6 per game)
Rebounds: Woolfolk (5.6 per game)
Assists: Suder (3.4 per game)
Steals: Elmer (1.6 per game)
Blocks: Woolfolk (0.9 per game)
Three-pointers: Craft (75 made)
History
Saturday’s matchup will mark the 217th Battle of the Bricks and the 101st at The Convo. Ohio holds a 73-27 record on its home court in the 100 preceding matchups since 1908. In the last home matchup for Ohio, which took place Feb. 3, 2024, former Ohio guard Jaylin Hunter led the way with 22 points, while returners AJ Clayton and Shereef Mitchell combined for 31 points.
Miami notes
The RedHawks have been blistering hot all of MAC play. However, six of the team’s seven losses came on the road, holding a 5-6 record overall. In Miami’s six road losses, it averaged 67 points per game, a far cry from its 81.8 points per game season average, which ranks second in the MAC.
Highlighted by one of the best groups of perimeter shooters in the country, making its 3-pointers at the fifth-highest rate in the NCAA, Miami’s offense is hard to stop when it gets hot. The crowd at The Convo will look to stifle that fire early as it did against Akron last Saturday.
Player to Watch (Miami): Kam Craft
Kraft is one of the best perimeter shooters in the country. He has been lighting it up from deep all season. While he’s been streaky as of late, following up a 40-point performance against Toledo with a 0-point performance against Western Michigan, Ohio will need to limit Craft’s looks if it wants to have a chance at quelling Miami’s offense.
Player to Watch (Ohio): Jackson Paveletzke
Paveletzke did not have the performance he would have liked in his Battle of the Bricks debut to start the month. The 6-foot-1-inch guard shot just 3-of-10 for 11 points, including a last-second missed layup that ultimately ended Ohio’s comeback chances. Lately, however, Paveletzke’s played his best basketball and seems primed for a bounce-back performance.
