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  • No. 19 Miami Defeated Toledo For RedHawks 30th Win And 22nd MAC Championship

No. 19 Miami Defeated Toledo For RedHawks 30th Win And 22nd MAC Championship

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Basketball

(BCSNN) — No. 19 Miami secured its 22nd MAC championship and remained undefeated with a 74–72 win over Toledo on Tuesday night, delivering the program’s first regular‑season title since 2005 in front of a sellout crowd at Millett Hall.

Peter Suder led the RedHawks (30–0, 17–0 MAC) with 19 points and arrived at the postgame podium wearing the largest piece of the net after Miami cut it down during an extended on‑court celebration. “When you’re having fun with the right group of guys, you can become unbeatable,” Suder said.

Miami led wire to wire, but the game came down to the final tenth of a second. After a missed free throw with four seconds left, Toledo (16–14, 10–7) pushed the ball up the floor, only to be met by a defensive stand involving Eian Elmer, Antwone Woolfolk, Brant Byers and Luke Skaljac. Skaljac forced a turnover with 0.1 seconds remaining to seal the win.

Head coach Travis Steele praised his team’s composure in tight moments. Miami improved to 7–0 in one‑possession games this season. “I’m happy for our guys, happy for our staff…we’ve come a long way,” Steele said. “They’ll have that memory for the rest of their lives.”

How It Happened

  • Miami opened with baskets from five different players and built an early 11–2 lead.
  • Byers and Suder hit threes to extend the margin to 23–10, and Skaljac added two jumpers to match the largest first‑half lead at 31–18.
  • Toledo responded with a 12–0 run before Miami regained control and led 40–35 at halftime.
  • The RedHawks maintained a narrow edge early in the second half, pushing the lead to 54–45 after threes from Suder and Byers.
  • With Toledo within 56–55, Elmer blocked a shot and hit a three on the next possession to restore a four‑point lead.
  • Suder converted a one‑legged floater as the shot clock expired to make it 63–58 with 5:38 left.
  • Woolfolk scored on a pick‑and‑roll and added a three to give Miami a 68–62 advantage.
  • Leading 74–72 in the final minute, Miami missed a free throw, but its defense forced a turnover in the final second to secure the win

Miami clinched at least a share of the MAC title and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament.