As a proud alumnus of Miami University, I just have to begin this week’s column with “how ‘bout those RedHawks!” A perfect 31-0 regular season, a Mid-American Conference mens’ basketball title, a number nineteen national ranking, and the first Division I team since Gonzaga in 2021 to go undefeated going into Championship Week as league and conference tournaments begin the initial steps to the Big Dance known as March Madness all are part of the resume of Travis Steele’s men from Oxford.
The 220th meeting with Ohio University in Athens, Friday night, another in the hotly contested “Battle of the Bricks”, was a game that the entire country could rightfully say was one of the year’s most entertaining matchups, a 110-108 overtime Miami win. Playing in front of a boisterous Convocation Center crowd, the RedHawks won their eighth one-possession game of the year (the most in D-I since the 1948-49 season) and claimed their fourth overtime victory of the campaign.
The national talk of the past month or so has been of Miami’s worthiness of being selected for the NCAA tournament if they don’t win the MAC tourney in Cleveland this week. A weak “strength of schedule” and the stigma of a mid-major league have so-called experts uptight about including what would be a one-loss RedHawk squad, assuming they should suffer a loss up by the Lake. The problem with that is that Miami contacted over 70 so-called power-conference schools and others about scheduling games, and was turned down every time. Why are Dayton, Xavier, and Cincinnati, among others, afraid of taking on the more talented mid-majors—would it look bad on their part to lose to an “inferior” opponent?
You all know the answer to that! Miami deserves the chance to Dance; most would rather see a mid-major team, which realistically doesn’t have a chance to win a national title, in the 68-team field than a seventh-place or lower SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, or ACC team. The Cinderella stories of upsets in the early rounds are part of the popularity of the tournament and Bracketology, the games that fans remember for years!
As an aside, did you know that Miami Coach Travis Steele and Akron Coach John Groce are half-brothers? And what team is seeded second this week behind Miami? Those Akron Zips!!
Turning to high school basketball, the Final Four in all seven girls’ divisions are set to tip off this week in the Dayton area (a welcome change after last year’s semifinals were scattered all over the state; congratulations to the OHSAA on making the correct move). Local teams winning regional titles include the Lady Raiders of Russia in D-VII (facing Attica Seneca East Friday afternoon at 1:00 at Wright State); St. Henry in D-VI (matching up with Columbus area Harvest Prep Thursday evening at 5:00, also at Wright State); Chaminade-Julienne in D-III; and Kettering Fairmont in D-I. Good luck to all teams on reaching the final weekend of the season!
Meanwhile, the boys’ tournament has reached the “Sweet Sixteen” in each division. Locally D VII action tips off Thursday at the Vandalia-Butler Student Activity Center with Botkins facing Lehman Catholic at 7:30 following undefeated Delphos St. John’s taking on Cincinnati College Prep at 6:00. It would be worth going to the SAC just to see St. Johns’ Elwer family play, led by senior Cameron Elwer who averages almost 30 ppg and shoots over 57% from three-point range.
In D-VI, a rematch takes place as one-seed and undefeated Tri-Village once again squares off with Troy Christian Tuesday at the SAC at 6:00. The winner will play the Midwest Athletic Conference’s Marion Local Flyers or Fort Recovery Indians, who have the second game that evening in Vandalia. A tough, tough regional to go through on the road to the state semis!
The Versailles Tigers face another tough challenge in Waynesville in a D-V contest Tuesday, 7:30 at the Fairborn High School facility. The Tigers are coming off a win over a previously unbeaten Williamsburg team in the district finals.
MVL champion Tipp City faces Trotwood-Madison in D-III action Tuesday at 6:00 at Xavier University. The Red Devils came from 19 points behind late in the third quarter in the district final to overcome Cincinnati LaSalle and advance down the tourney trail. Finally, Northmont’s Thunderbolts play in Springfield Wednesday night at 7:30 against Cincinnati Winton Woods in the D-II regional semis. If you get the chance, get out and see some outstanding high school basketball. For complete state brackets, visit the OHSAA website!
Hard to believe, but the Reds Opening Day is just two weeks from Thursday, the 26th as Terry Francona’s squad host the Boston Red Sox in the first of a three-game series. We’ll take a look at the Reds along with others in a week or so as the MLB season prepares to kick off. Better enjoy this year because it appears that next season may be in jeopardy due to contract negotiations between the owners and the players’ association. The rich get richer on both sides of that argument!
Finally, in my quest to continually educate you readers in things that really don’t mean a lot, March 7th was the 150th anniversary of Alexander Graham Bell filing for a patent for the “telephone”, followed three days later by his famous request of his assistant, that first call being “Mr. Watson, come here! I want to see you!”. Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1847 and moved to Canada at age 23 before taking a teaching position at Boston University in 1870. While there he experimented on electricity and sound to help improve the telegraph. The rest is history as he became one of the great inventors of his time, also inventing an early Fax machine, a hydrofoil boat, and an early air-conditioning unit, among other things. He passed away in 1922 at age 75 after also founding the Bell Telephone Company in 1877. What would we do without our phones!!
One last thing—with my Scottish background through my mother’s side of the family tree, the name Alexander has been given to six generations over the years, either as a first or middle name. Do you know the Scottish nickname for Alexander? How about Sandy!! Have a great week!
