ATHENS, Ohio — Miami (Ohio) concluded the regular season as the sole undefeated squad in Division I men’s hoops, attributed to Eian Elmer achieving a personal-best 32 points and securing 12 rebounds during a hard-fought 110-108 extra-period triumph against Ohio on Friday evening.
Peter Suder netted five of his total 13 points in overtime for Miami (31-0, 18-0 Mid-American), making them the third team in Division I annals to commence a conference championship event with a 31-0 record, aligning with the achievements of 2013-14 Wichita State and 2014-15 Kentucky, as reported by ESPN Research.
Trey Perry contributed 21 points, while Brant Byers posted 15 for the RedHawks, who bested Akron to claim the conference championship.
Notwithstanding their remarkable season, Miami may be required to secure victory in the conference championship next week to ensure their place in the NCAA tournament.
Jackson Paveletzke spearheaded Ohio (15-16, 9-9) by delivering a personal-best 37 points. Javan Simmons recorded 30, and Aidan Hadaway chipped in 20. The Bobcats suffered three consecutive defeats, concluding their regular season campaign.
Miami encountered a challenging period across its preceding twelve matches, featuring four victories decided by a single possession and two additional contests extending into overtime. On this occasion, the RedHawks once more required some decisive late-game plays to clinch a win in Athens, a feat not accomplished in 15 years.
A successful shot by Simmons, following a missed attempt from his teammate Kiir Kuany, propelled Ohio to a 108-107 advantage with 26 seconds remaining in the extra period. Suder converted two foul shots, propelling Miami into the lead, and Justin Kirby added one more, establishing the ultimate difference. Paveletzke failed to convert two attempts in the concluding five seconds, which could have granted Ohio the advantage, including a three-point attempt as the buzzer sounded.
This report incorporated contributions from The Associated Press.