Miami Breaks 22-Game Winless Streak, Defeat Toledo 92-80
By: Jack Mueller
(Photos Courtesy of: Josh Kaeser / Miami Athletics)
What a difference a year can make.
On March 5th, 2024, Toledo defeated Miami 97-63. The loss was the RedHawks’ 22nd straight at the hands of the Rockets, dating back to 2011. Two weeks later, their season was over, following a 75-63 loss to Akron in the MAC Quarterfinals.
These RedHawks aren’t intimidated by history though, they’re rewriting it.
Tonight, in front of 2,661 people, The RedHawks broke the streak. Miami defeated Toledo 92-80, securing their first home win over the Rockets in over 15 years. Travis Steele’s team is the first RedHawk team to eclipse ten conference wins since 2011, and the first to reach 19 wins in over 20 years.
A big reason for that success is Miami’s home record (12-1). The RedHawks have turned Millett Hall into a fortress this season. Steele recalled Jermaine Henderson (Miami 1993-97) telling his team that they “only lost three or four home games in his career here, and the pride that they took in that.” That message has clearly resonated with his players.
“There’s a direct correlation with that, if you can’t win at home, you have no shot,” said Steele.
“We’re changing the culture here,” said sophomore guard Kam Craft, who bounced back from two consecutive games with less than ten points in a big way.
Craft led the RedHawks with a career-high 40 points. The sophomore guard scored 20 of those in the first half, giving Miami a 15-point advantage at the break. After 20 more in the second, he left the court to a standing ovation from the Millett faithful.
“Craft was en fuego out there, like a video game, shooting like Steph Curry” said Steele.
“We came in with a chip on our shoulders.” said Craft, referencing the history behind the game. “When you see shots falling like that, it’s easy to get into a flow state…I was feeling it.”
Craft’s scoring was supplemented by production up and down the lineup. Ipsaro led the bench unit with 14 points, going 3-3 from beyond the arc. On the glass, Eian Elmer pulled down 14 boards (four offensive) and added a block. While Peter Suder didn’t score as much as he has in previous games, he played the facilitator role well, racking up 7 assists.
As good as the performance was, Steele acknowledged that there was still room for improvement, referencing the final five minutes in which his side allowed a 20-point lead to be cut to 11. He referenced Super Bowl winning coach Nick Sirianni’s postgame comments when talking about how he hopes his team handles the final seven games.
“It can get boring, tedious…We have to embrace that rep, embrace that moment.”
How it Happened
Eight early points for Kam Craft gave the RedHawks a 10-6 lead after four minutes. Suder found Reece Potter cutting to the rim to extend the lead to six, before a triple from Brant Byers made it 15-6 after just six minutes. Potter’s contribution was a welcome sight for the RedHawks, who were without their big man for two games prior to this one.
Five points from Toledo’s Isaiah Adams were cancelled out by triples from Byers and Evan Ipsaro, making it a ten-point game. Eian Elmer’s putback layup extended the RedHawk lead to 23-11 and forced Tod Kowalczyk to take a timeout.
Sam Lewis ensured the timeout was effective, connecting on a three. However, they were less successful on their next possession, turning the ball over to Elmer, who found Craft for his third three of the night. He found the bottom of the basket on his fourth and fifth not long after, extending the lead to 32-16. Eian Elmer added to the momentum, finishing a monster dunk over three defenders, causing the Millett faithful to erupt.
Miami continued to hurt them from beyond the arc, as Ipsaro connected twice from three-point land, Miami’s ninth and tenth of the night. Sonny Wilson and Isaiah Adams combined for six to keep Toledo within 15, but yet another Craft three kept the home team in the driver's seat. Three free throws for the Rockets sent them to the locker room for the half down 15.
After the break, Miami kept the pressure on. Mekhi Cooper put down a two-hand jam just 20 seconds into the half. Sam Lewis got his side going with an and-one and a block, but was called for a tech on the celebration. Craft, who was called for a tech celebrating a three on Lewis, connected on both shots to make it 50-33.
The technical fouls didn't stop there. Woolfolk and Simmons got into it under the basket and were both assessed fouls. Those fouls were Woolfolk’s third and fourth. After Potter picked up his third with 15 minutes to go, Miami was forced to play small for most of the second half. Toledo capitalized, going on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to 54-42.
“We need him out on the floor, we have to be smarter in that situation.” said Steele.
Miami responded in kind, rattling off a 7-0 run of their own. After Potter and Adams traded threes, Kam Craft took over again. He scored eight, and Elmer added two more to extend Miami’s lead to 75-52 with under eight minutes to play. Toledo responded with a 13-4 run, led by Sonny Wilson’s eight to cut the lead to 14.
No matter, Kam Craft returned to the floor, and swiftly converted an and-one to return momentum to Miami. Not to be outdone by Sam Lewis’ response from beyond the arc, Craft pulled up from three again, giving him nine on the day. Wilson’s third three of the day followed an Adams and-one, cutting the lead to 11 before Craft found space for his 40th points at the other end.
Isaiah Adams got to the rim again and slammed it home to make it 87-76 with just over a minute to play. Ipsaro responded with a three-point layup at the other end, all but sealing the win for Miami. Suder put the finishing touches on the win with a layup with 40 seconds to play.
Up Next
The RedHawks will hit the road this weekend to kick off two straight games in the state of Michigan. First, on Saturday, they will take on Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, hoping for a repeat of their first matchup with the Broncos (91-71 win on January 11th). Then, on Tuesday, they head east to face the Eagles in Ypsilanti, just two weeks after the teams met at Millett Hall. The RedHawks took the victory in that one too, winning 89-80 to kick off the current five-game win streak.
Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+. Riverfront U will have live social media coverage and post-game recaps available after the completion of the games.